•Accord’s lawyer slumps in court
Lawyers to defendants in the governorship petition filed by Senator Rashidi Ladoja of Accord party against the election of Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi have faulted the “several inconsistencies” in the evidences tendered by the ex-governor before the tribunal handling the suit.
Ladoja is challenging the election of Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the tribunal.
He joined the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Ambassador Rufus Akeju, as co-respondents.
Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) is the lawyer for Ajimobi and Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) represents the APC. Sikiru Sanni represents the INEC and Mr. Richard Ogunwole (SAN) is counsel to Ladoja and Accord.
The “inconsistencies” were discovered during cross-examination of the star witness, Bimbo Adepoju, at the weekend.
Lawyers to APC, INEC and Akeju identified discrepancies in the figures entered in the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) form from the INEC and the record of analysis made by the witness.
A total of 192 documents had been tendered and marked ‘exhibits’ by the tribunal.
Adepoju had earlier affirmed in court that his exhibits were error-free.
But the counsels to the respondents referred him to “various errors, unsubstantiated and inconsistent claims and contradictory facts contained in his exhibits”.
For instance, the number of total valid votes, total votes cast and the number of rejected votes in the chief witness’ analyses were faulted as inconsistent with the figures he recorded in forms EC8A as an expert that analysed INEC materials used during the governorship election.
Adepoju added that the inconsistencies grew from the figures in the PVCs used for collation analysis in the EC8A.
The total votes cast with the valid and invalid votes in some records of analysis done by the witness were different from those in the INEC Form EC8A.
In Iludero Unit of Atiba Local Government for example, 501 votes were recorded in the witness’ analysis. It was 489 in the Form.
A total of 611 votes were recorded for Ward six in Akinyele Local Government whereas there was no voter register available.
In Oyo West, total votes cast was 258 and it was 161 in the form.
In Ibadan North Unit 005, 317 votes were recorded in the witness’ analysis, but 185 appeared in the form. Total rejected votes in the analysis of Oyo West Unit 001 was three, but it was 44 in the INEC form.
Taking his turn, Akeredolu (SAN) told the tribunal that the analysis done by the witness and the party was inconsistent with the exhibits provided.
But the witness insisted that some forms such as the incident form, which validates his claim, were not released to him by INEC.
But tragedy was averted at the weekend as Mr. Biodun AbdulRaheem, the lead counsel to Accord’s candidate in March 28 House of Representatives election in Ibadan North East / Ibadan South East Federal Constituency, Mr. Olugbenga Adewusi, slumped during a tribunal sitting in the Oyo State capital.
He was, however, revived by a team of lawyers led by Adebayo Mutalubi, the former Commissioner for Justice and counsel to the defendant, Dapo Lam-Adesina.
Mutalubi was said to have rushed to attend to Abdul-Raheem after another lawyer, I.O Opeyemi, drew the attention of the tribunal to Abdul-Raheem’s unconscious state.
He was led out of the court by other lawyers. The plaintiff’s counsel later asked his driver to take him to his doctor.
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