OSUN 2014 TRIBUNAL UPDATE: 12/19/2014 It was an atmosphere of conviviality today at the election petition tribunal as Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola was physically present in court to watch the proceedings. The Governor was at the tribunal premises by 9.45am shortly before the court began sitting. He was accompanied by virtually all the former members of the State Executives Council. He went straight to exchange pleasantries with the Vice- Presidential Candidate of the APC, Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN who is also the lead counsel for the second Respondent (APC) in the petition filed by Senator Iyiola Omisore against the victory of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola. The Governor also went personally to exchange pleasantries with the lawyers to the petitioners before he was ushered into his seat. At exactly 10 am prompt, the tribunal began sitting with the second respondent opening his case by calling his first witness. The first witness called was Mr. Isau Waheed olawale who was a party agent in Ward5 unit5 Ejigbo Local Government. He gave evidence during cross-examination by Femi Falana SAN, that election went well in his unit, he went through the accreditation process as register of voters was pasted in the unit and all voters checked their name before going to the presiding officers for their accreditation. He also maintained that votes were sorted and counted in the full glare of the public and result entered on form EC8A, signed, stamped and countersigned by all the agents. He also said there was no distribution of food or drinks on the day of election. When cross-examined by N.O.O Oke SAN, he said the last school he attended was CAC primary school. He said he was born on the 5th day of January, 1970. He was asked to sign his signature 3times which he did successfully which was admitted and marked as Exhibit 393. When asked whether he went to other unit on the day of election, he maintained he was in his unit throughout. He maintained he was a night guard in the local government secretariat till 2012 before he went back for his mechanic work. When N.O.O Oke asked him when he joined OYES he answered thus: i told you earlier i am a mechanic, can an uneducated person applied for OYes?. The second witness was Musa Abdul Baki, Party Agent for Ward 1 Unit 3, Osogbo Local Government. He testified to the effect that he was in his unit by 7am on the day of election and the INEC official met him in the polling unit. He said before accreditation began, everybody was shown the materials for the election including form EC8A. When the voting ended, it was sorted,counted and result entered on form EC8A. The original cooy of the result was stamped and signed by the presiding Officer and countersigned by the agents present. When cross-examined by the petitioners counsel, he stated that he attended St . Charles Grammar School and ended his schooling in 2007. He also said he has been struggling to further his education. He said that it is only those who were accredited and were on queue were allowed to vote. He said he is a driver but as at 2011 he was a student still looking for admission. The 3rd witness was Opeyem Olalemi, a Party agent from unit1 Ward 2 Atakunmosa Local Government. He maintained that election in his unit was free, fair and credible. Every eligible voters who presented themselves for accreditation were allowed to vote. He said in answer to a question from the petitioners counsel the type of party uniform and the hand band he wore on the day of election, he said i did not put on any uniform on that day, i wore a guinea brocade and i dont put on hand band. The last witness was Otegbayo Oyebanji Ayomide, a party agent in ward 8 unit 5, Obokun Local Government. He maintained under cross-examination that he voted for the candidate of his choice and other voters voted for the candidate of their choice without any itch. He maintained that there was no canopy in his unit. He said there was no additional unit created in his unit. He said he was given a copy of the result in his unit after the original has been signed and stamped. As at 2011 he said he was a student and he is not an aid to any lawmaker. He maintained he signed the Form EC8A after other party agents signed because since he was the winning party, the big masquerade should sign last. The Counsel to the second respondent (APC) Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN at this juncture ask for an adjournment till tomorrow for continuation of hearing.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 16:31:59 +0000
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