Senator Iyiola Omisore
The Election Petitions Tribunal hearing
matters arising from August 9 governorship election in Osun State on
Tuesday admitted the ballot papers used in the conduct of the election.
The tribunal, headed by Justice Elizabeth
Ikpejime, admitted the documents brought in sacks as evidence tendered
by the petitioner, Senator Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples Democratic
Party. However, he reserved ruling on their admissibility until the
judgment stage.
The tribunal had subpoenaed the Resident
Electoral Commissioner in the state to produce original ballot papers
used in the 17 local government areas under dispute.
The materials were brought in 10 pick-up
vans on Monday and the lead counsel for the petitioner, Dr. Alex Izinyon
( SAN), called the United States-based forensic data analysis expert,
Mr. Pius Bakare, who tendered the documents.
Izinyon also tendered the photocopy of
the subpoena issued by the same tribunal through the expert witness who
was Petitioner Witness 38 in the case.
He said, “I seek to tender in bulk the original ballot papers and the subpoena issued by the tribunal to produce the documents.”
The counsel tendered four sacks containing original ballot papers from Ilesa East Local Government Areas.
The two counsel argued that the content
of the sacks was not known and Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), insisted that
the sacks must all be emptied and the ballot papers used in hundreds of
polling units be inspected one by one before he would know whether to
urge the panel to accept or reject the documents.
The tribunal appealed to the respondents
to tender the documents in bulk, saying it would be impossible to open
all the sacks and check each of the ballot papers used for the poll.
After agreeing, Olujinmi, who represented
Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo ( SAN), raised
objection to the admissibility of the documents.
Olujinmi argued that the witness had no
connection with the subpoena, which the petitioner wanted to tender
through him and that the document was a certified true copy.
The former Attorney General of the Federation also objected to the admissibility of the original ballot papers.
He argued that the witness was not competent to tender them from the bar because he was not the one who authored them.
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