Akpabio’s Witness Admits there was no accreditation at Polling Units

Senator Godswill Akpabio, the immediate past representative of
Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district in the National Assembly, on June
10, 2019, was stunned as one of his witnesses, Mr. Usen, admitted
that there was no accreditation in polling units in the ward where
he was a collation agent.

Akpabio, who was in court for the first time since the National
Assembly Petition Tribunal began sitting, was opportune to be
briefed through the prehearing report of the tribunal, which marked
the end of the prehearing session and commencement of trial.

Mr. Usen, one of the witnesses who identified himself as APC
chieftain and 2019 elections ward collating officer in Essien Udim
Local Government Area, affirmed that the box designed for
accreditation of voters was not ticked on result sheets shown to
him by INEC, which means there was no accreditation in seven
polling units, leading to cancellation of elections in those
units.

The witness also responded that voters’ registers and card
readers are tools for accreditation, and explained that where the
card reader fails, accreditation are usually done manually.

The witness who was up to testify that INEC was not justified in
cancelling the results from the units, also told the tribunal that
card readers malfunctioned in various polling units in his
area.

Taking the floor, Barr. Emukporueo, representing the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC), and two other officials of
the Commission joined as respondents, asked if the witness is aware
that results of seven units were cancelled in his ward, but he
replies negatively.

Barr. Emukporoeu craved the indulgence of the tribunal to put it
to the witness, that the results which led to the cancellation of
seven polling units in his ward are completely inconsistent and not
a product of the voters’ registers which were marked as exhibits
R2, R4, R5, R7, R8, R11.

The Counsel to the petitioner, Barr. Ameh’s made futile attempt
to save his witness who was apparently running out of explanations
on the exhibit, which did not indicate accreditation of voters.

Ameh argued before the tribunal that the witness is not the
maker of the documents and the function of the voters’ registers
are for the polling units, stressing that his witness was a ward
agent.

Barr. Emukporueo urged the tribunal to overrule the objection of
his colleague as the questions were reactions to the words of the
witness himself, who said that card readers malfunctioned and
accreditation was done manually, thus opening himself to questions
concerning the voters’ registers.

He referred the tribunal to section 222 of the evidence act, and
held that the witness got questions within the confines of the
evidence act, to test his credibility and would be unfair to INEC
to be stopped from asking their questions.

He finally submitted that it is a life and critical issue to ask
if there was accreditation and election, adding that there was no
election because election is a process, which starts with
accreditation.

He also held that materials were hijacked, while ad-hoc staffs
were kidnapped and abducted.

The tribunal, after listening to arguments of all the parties,
ruled that the witness should answer the questions directed to him,
as they are all in line with Section 295(2) of the evidence
act.

The tribunal accordingly adjourned to Friday, June 14, 2019.

Meanwhile, a socio-political group, Akwa Ibom Liberation
Movement, AILM, has described the confession of Akpabio’s witness
as testimony to their earlier stand that APC has nothing to do at
the tribunal.

Reacting to the issue, the leader of the AILM, Prince Emmanuel
Sam noted that APC is only at the tribunal to make noise as the
party was totally defeated in the last general elections in the
state.

Sam said, since the party leaders in Akwa Ibom State does not
know their bearings, the have now resorted to attacking the
Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini as a way of
assuaging their defeat.

He called Akwa Ibomites to remain calm and watch God deals with
Akpabio.

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