INEC Official Admits ‘Seemingly Over-Voting’ in Osun poll

A Deputy Director, Information Communication Technology with the Independent National Electoral Commission, Abimbola Oladunjoye, on Wednesday said there was ‘seemingly over-voting’ in some polling units in the July 16 Osun state governorship poll.

Oladunjoye, a witness for INEC, the first respondent in the matter, who was under cross-examination by the petitioners’ lead counsel, Mr Akin Olujinmi (SAN), was shown her witness statement, where the number of accredited voters in a polling unit in Ede South contradicted the number of accredited voters on the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System report presented by INEC.

The witness, in her deposition, had said the number of accredited voters in Ward 4 Unit 7, Ede South was 388, but in the RBVR, being a BVAS report tendered by INEC, the number of accredited voters was put at 313, saying there was seemingly over voting by 75.

The counsel also referred the witness to paragraph 21.36 of her witness statement, where the accreditation figure was put at 830, but on the BVAS report, the accreditation figure was said to be 793.

Oladunjoye in paragraph 26.7 of her witness statement also said the accreditation figure in a unit was 402, but on the BVAS report, the accreditation figure was said to be 263, saying there was seemingly over-voting by 139.

But under re-examination by INEC’s counsel, Prof Paul Ananaba (SAN), Oladunjoye explained that she used the word ‘seemingly over-voting’ because over-voting could not be established until when comparison was made between figures on Form EC8A and the physical data on BVAS machine used for the election.

She added that going by the INEC guidelines, voter accreditation figure is taking on the physical BVAS machine and written on Form EC8A.

After the witness had been discharged by the panel, Ananaba closed its case.

Earlier, the tribunal admitted in evidence 976 BVAS machines used for the July 16 governorship poll and the Certified True Copies of the BVAS report tendered by INEC.

Counsel for Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the second respondent in the matter, Oyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN) opened its case and tendered some Form EC8A series.

The Tribunal chairman, Justice Tertse Kume, ruled that BVAS machines from the disputed 10 local government areas should be kept in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria in Osogbo pending the conclusion of the matter.

He subsequently adjourned further hearing till Thursday.