OTTI VS AHIWE: How I conducted Forensic Examination Of Governorship Election Without BVAS, Voters Register - Expert Tells Court
Faith Ukanwa
Aug 18, 2023
OTTI VS AHIWE: How I conducted Forensic Examination Of Governorship Election Without BVAS, Voters Register - Expert Tells Court
A Subpoenaed witness of the People's Democratic party (PDP), Mr. Samuel Odunta who is a statistician and digital forensic Expert, on Friday, tendered a report of a table analysis he carried out on electoral forms in respect of the March 18, 2023 Governorship election in Abia state.
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ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER (AFNEWS), had reported that the 2nd respondent's counsel, A.J. Owonikoko kicked against the tribunal giving the witness audience on the ground that he was not mentioned on the witness schedule list while the 1st and 3rd respondents's counsels; J.T.U. Nnodum and Chief Umeh Kalu, SAN asked that the matter be stood down for some hours to allow them go through the application served them by the petitioners.
At the resumed sitting, the respondents all objected to the tribunal allowing the witness give evidence before it, however, the tribunal admitted him.
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While being cross examined by INEC's counsel, Odunta informed the tribunal that he conducted his analysis with certified true copies of result sheets given to him by the PDP without BVAS machines and voters registers.
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According to the forensic Expert, he was refused access to the BVAS machines by INEC even after going to their office on April 7 and August 15, 2023.
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Odunta posited in court that over voting occurred in 105 polling units across Abia state.
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In contradiction to his claim of over voting, Odunta agreed with INEC's counsel that before anyone can determine over voting, poor or non accreditation, the person must have access to the BVAS machine used for the election which entails opening the machine and reading the data therein.
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When asked to tell the tribunal which of the forms EC8C marked as exhibits P38 and P188 is the certified true copy of Obingwa LGA, Odunta said P188 is the certified true copy of Obingwa LGA result which he used to conduct his analysis, while P38 is the duplicate original.
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While being cross examined by A.J. Owonikoko SAN, the witness confirmed that the documents (APC,LP,PDP and other party's results, among others) he referred to on the table on page 10 of his report were not shown to him.
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Asked to read out PDP's results for Abayi wards recorded in exhibit P38, Odunta listed as this;
Abayi ward 1 - 5,676.
Abayi ward 2 - 23,003.
Abayi ward 8 - 10,942.
Owonikoko called his attention to his report where he gave Abayi ward 8 result as 10,301.
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Odunta maintained that the score he stated in the table as that of PDP was derived from exhibit P38, insisting that his computation is not wrong even though the figure in his report differs from what is recorded in exhibit P38.
He later affirmed that 10,942 and 10,301 are not the same figure.
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After his cross examination, PDP closed their matter officially.
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The tribunal adjourned till August 23, 24 and 25, 2023 for the respondents to open their defence .
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The tribunal also added that the application of the petitioners dated August 15, will also be taken on 25th.
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— Faith Ukanwa