By Owen Eresoyen, Benin
Edo State Governorship Election Tribunal, presided over by Justice Wilfred Kachi, resumed proceedings on Wednesday in Benin City with the hearing of Petition No EPT/ED/GOV/01/2024, filed by Dr Bright Enabulele and the Accord Party.
The petitioners, alongside the respondents—Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the All Progressives Congress (APC)—were represented by their counsel at the session, during which three witnesses testified for the petitioners.
The first witness, Mr. Egbigere from Akoko Edo LGA, admitted under cross-examination to being unaware of the total number of polling units in his local government. He also confirmed that he was not issued an INEC-approved agent tag, though he knew it was mandatory. On allegations of ballot box theft and thuggery, he admitted to not filing a police report or naming suspects.
The second witness, Ms. Daisy Nwachuku from Oredo LGA, acknowledged serving as a polling unit agent in Ward 3, Unit 9, with an INEC-issued tag. She testified that her duty ended at the ward collation center but admitted under cross-examination to lacking knowledge of the total number of polling units in her local government. She denied witnessing or reporting incidents of ballot stuffing or harassment. Despite identifying Senator Monday Okpebholo as the election winner, she could not recall the exact results.
The third witness, Mrs. Victoria Ogbebor, who claimed to have voted in Oredo Unit 32, stated that she prepared her witness statement independently. However, discrepancies surfaced during cross-examination regarding her familiarity with other witnesses’ statements, her voting details, and the specific polling units being challenged.
The inconsistencies and gaps in the testimonies raised questions about the credibility of the witnesses. Following their testimonies, the tribunal adjourned proceedings, with a break scheduled that ended at 2:00 PM.
