Osun Tribunal: INEC Official Defends Why She Used The Term ‘Seemingly Over-Voting’ In Her Statement

An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has admitted that there was ‘seemingly over-voting’ in some polling units in the July 16 Osun State Governorship election.

Naija News reports that a Deputy Director of Information Communication Technology (ICT) with INEC, Abimbola Oladunjoye on Wednesday during her cross-examination defended why she used the term ‘seemingly over-voting in her statement.

Oladunjoye was shown her statements concerning the election, which suggests the incidence of over-voting in some polling units in Ede south.

Naija News recalls that the July 16 governorship election in Osun State that produced the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was contested by his predecessor, Adegboyaga Oyetola at the tribunal.

During the cross-examination of Oladunjoye by the petitioners’ lead counsel, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), her witness statement was said to have revealed that she attested to the fact that the number of accredited voters in a polling unit in Ede South contradicted the number of accredited voters on the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System(BVAS) report presented by INEC.

Oladunjoye, in her deposition earlier noted that there was seemingly over voting by 75 in Ward 4 Unit 7 of Ede South because the number of accredited voters was 388, whereas the RBVR, being a BVAS report presented by INEC shows that the number of accredited voters was put at 313.

The witness was referred to paragraph 21.36 of her witness statement by the counsel where she stated that the accreditation figure was put at 830, but on the BVAS report, the accreditation figure was said to be 793.

The INEC ICT deputy director in paragraph 26.7 of her witness statement also said the accreditation figure in a unit was 402, but on the BVAS report, the accreditation figure was said to be 263, saying there was seemingly over-voting by 139.

Naija News however gathered that Oladunjoye during re-examination by INEC’s counsel, Prof Paul Ananaba (SAN), said she used the term ‘seemingly over-voting because over-voting could not be established until when comparison was made between figures on Form EC8A and the physical data on BVAS machine used for the election.

She explained that as stipulated by the INEC guideline, voter accreditation figure is taken on the physical BVAS machine and written on Form EC8A.

INEC’s lawyer, Ananaba was said to have closed its case after the panel discharged the witness.

The tribunal was said to have earlier admitted in evidence 976 BVAS machines used for the July 16 governorship poll and the Certified True Copies of the BVAS report tendered by INEC.

Counsel for Adeleke, who is the second respondent in the matter, Oyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN) opened its case and tendered some Form EC8A series.

The Tribunal chairman, Justice Tertse Kume, who adjourned the hearing till Thursday, ruled that BVAS machines from the disputed 10 local government areas should be kept in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) in Osogbo pending the conclusion of the matter.