BVAS manipulated in over 20 Kogi PUs – Atiku’s witness

The first witness of the Peoples Democratic Party, Joe Agada, on Thursday, alleged that he was forced to sign the results sheets as the Collation Officer in Kogi State for the February 25 presidential election.

Agada, who is a retired captain, stated this during his cross-examination at the Presidential Election Petition Court Abuja where the outcome of the presidential election is being challenged.

The witness, while being fielding questions from counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission, Abdullahi Aliyu (SAN), told the court that he visited a number of polling units in different local government areas on election day.

When asked by INEC’s counsel about a purported manipulation of ballot papers he mentioned in his witness deposition and whether it was done in his presence, the witness answered in the affirmative.

He also claimed that he witnessed alleged manipulation of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System in Kogi State.

When the lawyer asked him: “You were present while the BVAS devices were also manipulated?” the witness responded: “Yes, in not less than 20 polling units; I visited across two senatorial districts.”

The PDP witness told the court that he spent between three and five minutes in the affected areas.

Furthermore, Agada alleged that he was forced to sign the results at the state level by INEC’s officials.

He said, “I was forced to sign, which I protested because without signing I was going to be denied the copy for my party.”

He, however, admitted that he did not mention the incident in his witness deposition.