Social Democratic Party members and followers of Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, the party’s candidate for governor of Kogi on November 11, 2023, are currently celebrating.
This came after the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court representative testified at the Kogi Election Tribunal that Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo’s affidavit was fraudulent and did not originate from the court.
According to information made available to The Bureau Newspaper, Mr. Ajaka filed a lawsuit against Ododo for forging certificates in connection with the electoral dispute before the tribunal, requesting that his election be declared void.
The SDP candidate had declared that Ododo’s document’s age statement was a forgery, stating that it was issued on Saturday, August 2, 2003, a non-working day.
According to a publication by SaharaReporters in 2023, the document was released by an interested person who brought the issue to the public’s attention.
Nonetheless, a witness from the FCT High Court showed up at the reopened hearing on Thursday to verify the certificate’s status.
The election issue is now being handled concurrently with the certificate forgery issue.
The SDP’s legal representative, Pius Akubo, SAN, introduced the witness, who went by Danmusa Williams.
The witness stated in court that he works as a civil servant in the nation’s capital and resides in Nyanya in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
He also identified himself as the Commissioner for Oath to the Court.
Akubo, the petitioner’s attorney, questioned the witness, saying:
“Are you aware of the Subpoena to compel the witness to come to court?”
He replied: “Yes, my Lord.”
Akubo: Do you have a copy of the subpoena?
Witness: Yes.
The Petitioner’s counsel asked him to hand over the subpoena to the tribunal and it was shown to all the counsel for their examination. The Subpoena was subsequently admitted in evidence.
The Petitioner’s counsel continued his questions.
He asked, “Is it the same affidavit deposed by one Ahmed Usman Ododo attached to INEC form in the document before you?”
Witness: Yes, my Lord.
The Counsel for the INEC, Kanu Agabi (SAN) during cross-examination asked the witness:
Question: You deposed in paragraph 7?
Witness: Yes, my Lord.
Question: Did you confront the person alleged to have forged the affidavit?
Witness: There is no case of forgery before my court so I don’t need to confront the person rather it is the interested party that will bring the matter before the court but I reported to the court.
Question: Did you report to the police?
Witness: I don’t have the power to do so.
Question: Did you report to INEC?
Witness: No, my Lord.
Question: Is there any indication in the affidavit you examine before coming to court that it’s forgery?
Witness: We examined and discovered that the date in the affidavit is on Sunday so I reported to the registrar of the court, my Lord.
In the meantime, many inconsistencies in BVAS records that have been acknowledged as evidence in court have been discovered by the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine. Reports pertain to the BVAS utilised in Okene, Okehi, Adavi, and certain regions of Ajaokuta and Lokoja.
