Details emerge as Labour Party closes case challenging Governor Mbah’s victory with 30 witnesses

The Labour Party (LP) on Sunday, July 16, officially closed its case challenging the victory of Governor Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 governorship election in Enugu State.

The LP candidate, Chijioke Edeoga tendered several pieces of evidence including polling unit results (form EC8A) in all the areas in contention; ward collation results (form EC8B) in the affected areas and a summary of the results as well as the declaration of the results, The Punch reported.

Edeoga called a total of 30 witnesses that testified against Mbah, insisting that the PDP candidate didn’t score the highest valid votes cast as the election was rigged.

He also prayed the Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to disqualify Mbah over an alleged forgery of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.

At the resumed hearing, an The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) senior staff, Victor Okafor, brought only five BVAS machines as against the number demanded by the petitioners.

During cross-examination, Okafor who appeared on behalf of the REC, Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, said he was mandated to produce five BVAS machines before the tribunal.

Okafor explained that the information that was generated on the BVAS machines during the governorship election was now contained in the BVAS report from the Headquarters in Abuja.

He said that he did not have the BVAS machines for the Owo and Ugbawka 1 registration areas of the Nkanu East Local Government Area, adding that the machines could only be identified by their codes.

The LP counsel, Eyitayo Fatogun (SAN) tendered the five BVAS machines to the Tribunal as evidence.

However, the PDP counsel, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu, and Mbah’s counsel, Alex Izinyon objected to the tendering of the BVAS machines.

Ikpeazu and Izinyo said they will make their reasons known during their final addresses.

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice M. K Akano adjourned the matter till July 18 for INEC to open its defense after the counsel to the Commission applied for it.