Plateau Central senatorial election credible, witness tells tribunal

                          
A star witness of the senator representing Plateau Central in the National Assembly, Evangelist Samuel Mbok, on Monday told the National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Jos that the election of Sen. Hezekiah Dimka was free, fair, credible and a true reflection of the wishes of the people.

Evangelist Mbok disclosed this at the tribunal when he was under cross-examination by counsel to INEC, Sunday Obende and counsel to the petitioner, Sunday Oyawole.

Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Nde David Paradang, had dragged Nde Hezekiah Dimka to the tribunal, accusing him of rigging the election.

But, Evangelist Mbok, a serving Deputy Chairman of Pankshin Local Government Area who was a collation agent of the APC for Pankshin Local Government Area as well as a returning officer for Senator Hezekiah Dimka in the said election told the tribunal that the election was not rigged and that they were the votes cast by the electorate that were declared by INEC.

“The results collated and announced by the electoral umpire in the senatorial election of which I was featured prominently in the process is a true reflection of the wishes of the electorate and by that, the election was free, fair and credible.”

Evangelist Mbok further confirmed his deposed statement by identifying all the documents showed to him by lawyers of all parties in the suit to include some unit results, even though he consented to the fact that he was merely at his polling unit during the election.

The witness also confirmed that he had nothing to do with forms EC 40 G one which is a complaint form that is handled by INEC officials neither did he see any party agent filling any, adding that in his capacity, he received results from ward collation agents of the APC and not unit collation agents.

Counsel to the petitioner, Sunday Oyawole, showed the witness results sheets both original and duplicate for some wards and units in Kanam LGA which were for Jom, Sabon Layi, and Mbat Dapshi which there were cancellations and over voting were said to have taken place including areas like Zakam Pada, Tapsar Furyam and Munbutbwo.


Sunday Oyawole and Sunday Obende both applied to tender some documents from the bar; the document from Obende was for Takar in Daffo, Bokkos LGA, while that for Oyawole were those for Gagdi, Kantana, Munbutbwo, Jom and Gwamlar of which the tribunal admitted in evidence.

The documents were result sheets for those polling units and wards. After the cross examination of the witness, the tribunal adjourned sitting to August 1 2019, for adoption of final written addresses in compliance with the electoral law first schedule.