Former Kogi State governor, Capt. Idris Wada, on Wednesday, opened his case at the state election petition Tribunal.
He told the tribunal, through one of his witnesses in the case, Mr. Joe Agada, that he won the election with a total score of 204, 877 votes against 6,885 scored by Governor Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The witness, who was led in evidence by Wada’s counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), said that Bello cannot inherit the votes scored by late Audu Abubakar.
He argued that late Audu scored 240, 867 on November 21, governorship election but died on 7:45 am on November 22, 2015 before the election was concluded.
The witness further stated that the APC had no valid candidate for the supplementary election because at the time Bello substituted, the statutory time allowed for substitution had elapsed.
Giving a breakdown of the total votes cast and scored by the APC and the PDP in the disputed governorship election, the witness stated that the PDP polled a total of 204, 877 votes, while the APC’s substituted candidate had only 6, 885 votes.
He maintained under cross examination by counsel to the respondents that by statute, the votes cast for late Abubakar Audu remained void.
Agada further argued that Bello did participate in the November 21 governorship election as he did have a Permanent Voters Card (PVC).
He told the tribunal that as at the time the election was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), none of the candidate won the election.
Meanwhile, the tribunal admitted as exhibits Agada’s statement on oath, result sheets from the 2,548 polling units in the state, Voter register and PDP letter of protest to INEC.
Other documents admitted by the tribunal include the witness party membership card, voter card and letter of his appointment as PDP chief agent at INEC coalition centre.
Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN) appeared for the APC, Dr. Alex Iziyon (SAN) is counsel to INEC at the tribunal while Joseph Daudu (SAN) in the lead counsel for Governor Bello.
Hearing in Wada’s petition continue today at the tribunal.
