Nasarawa State Tribunal Admits 207 BVAS
Kalu Idika
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has tendered 207 Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems, BVAS to the Nasarawa State governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Lafia for the March 18 governorship election in Lafia local government area.
Presenting the BVAS, the Head of ICT, INEC in Nasarawa State, Mr. Godwin Udoh told the Tribunal that 8 out of the total 218 BVAS used for the election In Lafia Local government area were stolen.
The chairman of the three man panel of Justices, Ezekiel Ajayi admitted the BVAS and the certified copies of the BVAS screen snapshot print-outs showing accreditation of voters for the 18th March, 2023 Governorship Election in the Polling Units in Ashige Ward of Lafia LGA which entire results were cancelled by INEC at the Lafia Local Government Collation Centre.
The Voter machines and the screenshot print-outs produced by the representative of INEC followed a subpoena issued on INEC on July 7, 2023 by the Tribunal as a result of the application of the Petitioners, the Governorship candidate of the PDP, Dr. David Ombugadu and the PDP.
Other witnesses who testified during the proceedings are the Petitioners’ Agent for Chiroma Ward, Audu Akaku and the PDP agent for Lafia LGA, Taimako Sunday Anyuabuga.
Mr Sunday had told the Court that he refused to sign the Lafia LGA result summary sheet (Form EC8C) because the scores transferred from the forms EC8Bs (Ward summaries) were not a correct summation of the votes scored by the candidates at the Polling units level.
He said the scores shown on the Polling Unit results (Forms EC8As) corresponded with the I-ReV copies all already admitted in evidence before the Court.
However, counsels to APC, Chief Woke Olanikpekun, SAN and that of Governor Abdullahi Sule, Matthew Burkaa, SAN objected the admissibility of the BVAS and accreditation screenshot print-outs produced by INEC.
The Tribunal later adjourned sitting to Friday, 28th July for continuation of hearing.
