The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election in Kaduna State, Isa Ashiru, on Wednesday called for more witnesses to testify against the victory of the incumbent Governor of state, Dr. Uba Sani at the election petition tribunal.
In a petition marked EPT/KD/Gov/4/23, Ashiru, the governorship candidate and his party are challenging Gov. Uba Sani’s victory at the poll based on alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act by the INEC and other corrupt practices.
A witness, Stephen Luka Bivan who appeared before the three-man panel of the tribunal headed by Justice Victor Oviawe, told the tribunal that he is knowledgeable of the BVA’s machine, being an ICT expert.
Bivan who was cross-examined by the counsels to the 1st (INEC), 2nd (Uba Sani) and 3rd (APC) respondents, also said he is very much aware of the electoral process as regards the last concluded general elections.
The witness who is a software expert, when asked, if he had ever worked with INEC or any electoral body, said, “l have never worked with INEC or any other electoral body but based on my knowledge as a software expert, I have knowledge of the BVA’s machine.”
Also, during the proceedings, the lead counsel to the 1st and 2nd petitioners, Ashiru and PDP, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN) sought the approval of the tribunal to present video evidence and also call a witness to give an account of the exhibit brought before the tribunal in view of the video.
Meanwhile, the proposed cross-examination of the 2nd witness was objected to by the counsels to the respondents, as they all requested time to study the video, saying that they were all served late, the reason for requesting more time to study the content of the video.
According to Chief Duro Adeyele (SAN), counsel to Gov. Uba Sani explained, “I was just served ten minutes earlier before now, so, there is the need to watch what is in the video. I requested that we should be given 24 hours to watch the video.”
The PDP counsel who conceded to the respondent’s counsels’ also explained, “It was not deliberate for us to have served them late. I apologise for that.”
The Oviawe-led panel adjourned the case till 20th July 2023 for the continuation of the cross-examination.