- Reports byThomas IBU, Abuja
*Summary of July 11, 2019 Proceedings of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal*
*Presentation of witnesses*
As part of the agreed ten days for petitioners to present its case to the Tribunal, the PDP and Atiku/Obi’s legal team today presented about 10 additional witnesses.
They are:
1. Jafaru Abbas Ibrahim
2. Abdulrahaman Usman
3. Nicholas Michelizer
4. John Makama
5. Khalid Yelwa Kubo
6. Adam Ali Sani
7. Bukar Pedro
8. Yalwe Yusuf and two other witnesses from Kaduna State
At the session today, a witness from Kaduna State, who was the PDP LGA Collation Agent during the February 23, 2019 Presidential Election told the Tribunal that there was massive issues of over voting, ballot box stuffing and rigging, perpetrated by agents of the APC in collaboration with security agents in Kaduna State on the day of the election.
He said, electorates were chased away from the polling units by thugs loyal to the 2nd and 3rd Respondents, President Muhammadu Buhari and his Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
That all the reports from PDP agents on the heinous activities of the ruling party to the security agents fell on deaf ears.
Jafaru Abbas, another PDP LGA Collation Agent testified that, in a Local Government in northern part of Kaduna State, that he was surprised to see APC members moving around in buses on Election Day with its supporters to various polling centers to vote for Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, the occupants of these buses were not indigenes or natives of the community but that they were given PVCs by the APC to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari. He also told the court that the real registered voters were chased away be security agents working for the APC.
In Borno state, Nicholas Michelizer, the State Collation Agent for the PDP told the court that all the results declared in about 100 polling units in Damboa LGA were false results. That there was no election in the LGA on Election Day due to insecurity in the area. That he was surprised that INEC declared results in the LGA.
That almost all the results in areas where elections were held from the 27 LGA in Borno state were mutilated by INEC.
He said, most of the results from the polling units, wards and LGAs were collated before arriving at the state collation center.
Bukar Pedro, the PDP Collation Agent in Damboa LGA of Borno State also confirmed the testimony of the State Collation Officer that there were two bomb blast in Domboa LGA some minutes after commencement of election.
That voters from all the Wards and polling units in Damboa LGA voted within the LGA secretariat due to insecurity. That the leader of the civilian JTF led thugs to the voting area after the bomb blast to secure the ballot papers and other electoral materials for APC agents. That he was also surprised that results emanated from the same LGA after the whole insecurity situation in the area.
*Tendering of Documents*
The PDP and Atiku/Obi legal team also tendered some documents to the Tribunal, a Manual on Election Technologies and a Receipt certifying the document.
The documents were rejected by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents, that is, INEC, Muhammadu Buhari and the APC.
The court however admitted the documents in evidence and adjourned to Friday July 12, 2019.
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