The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Nasarawa State recently witnessed a crucial testimony from Ayiwulu Baba Ayiwulu, the star witness for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The testimony shed light on various irregularities that occurred during the 2023 governorship election in the state, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal battle.
The PDP’s governorship candidate, David Ombugadu, had approached the tribunal challenging the victory of Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.
During the hearing, Ayiwulu Baba Ayiwulu, the PDP State Collation Agent during the election, took the stand as the star witness. He identified several documents generated from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) BVAS IREV portal that had not been collated in line with INEC’s guidelines for the 2023 general elections. These documents encompassed crucial forms and results from various electoral wards and constituencies in the state.
Ayiwulu Baba Ayiwulu pointed out inconsistencies in the collation process, where scores recorded in Form EC8As were inaccurately transposed into Form EC8Bs for certain wards. He also highlighted the unlawful cancellation of results from Ashige ward’s Form EC8A. The witness attested to the presence of numerous irregularities in the governorship election, appealing to the tribunal to utilize the original and certified true copies to compile the accurate results.
In his cross-examination by the counsels representing INEC, APC, and Governor Sule, Ayiwulu Baba Ayiwulu remained steadfast in his assertion of the irregularities and urged the tribunal to consider the differences in accreditation between the governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Lafia Central.
With this compelling testimony, the PDP Lead Counsel announced the party’s readiness to hear the defense of the respondents, including INEC, APC, and Governor Sule.
As the case unfolds, the tribunal chairman, Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, adjourned the proceedings to August 18, 2023, for the continuation of the hearing. The testimony by Ayiwulu Baba Ayiwulu has opened a window into the alleged irregularities that could potentially impact the outcome of the election dispute in Nasarawa State.