Members of the Social Democratic Party and supporters of its governorship candidate in the November 11, 2023 Kogi election, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka are currently in a jubilation mood.
This followed the testimony of the representative of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court at the Kogi Election Tribunal that Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo’s affidavit was fake and did not emanate from the court.
Bellnews had reported that Ajaka sued Ododo for certificate forgery as part of the electoral matter before the tribunal, which sought invalidation of his election.
The SDP candidate had avowed that the age declaration attached to Ododo’s document was forged, insisting that it was issued on a non-working day, Saturday, August 2, 2003.
Bellnews in 2023 published the document when a concerned citizen exposed the matter to the public for scrutiny.
However, at the resumed proceeding on Thursday, an FCT High Court witness appeared to confirm the status of the certificate.
The matter of election is currently ongoing simultaneously with that of certificate forgery.
The witness who gave his name as Danmusa Williams, was introduced by the counsel for the SDP led by Pius Akubo, SAN.
The witness told the court that he lives in Nyanya in the FCT, Abuja and is a civil servant working in the capital city.
He also told the court that he is the Commissioner for Oath.
When the counsel for the Petitioner, Akubo asked the witness: “Are you aware of the Subpoena to compel the witness to come to court?”
He replied: “Yes, my Lord.”
Akubo: Do you have a copy of the subpoena?
Witness: Yes.
The Petitioner’s counsel asked him to hand over the subpoena to the tribunal and it was shown to all the counsel for their examination. The Subpoena was subsequently admitted in evidence.
The Petitioner’s counsel continued his questions.
He asked, “Is it the same affidavit deposed by one Ahmed Usman Ododo attached to INEC form in the document before you?”
Witness: Yes, my Lord.
The Counsel for the INEC, Kanu Agabi (SAN) during cross-examination asked the witness:
Question: You deposed in paragraph 7?
Witness: Yes, my Lord.
Question: Did you confront the person alleged to have forged the affidavit?
Witness: There is no case of forgery before my court so I don’t need to confront the person rather it is the interested party that will bring the matter before the court but I reported to the court.
Question: Did you report to the police?
Witness: I don’t have the power to do so.
Question: Did you report to INEC?
Witness: No, my Lord.
Question: Is there any indication in the affidavit you examine before coming to court that it’s forgery?
Witness: We examined and discovered that the date in the affidavit is on Sunday so I reported to the registrar of the court, my Lord.
Meanwhile, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine has exposed some discrepancies in BVAS records which have been admitted as evidence in court. The reports are for the BVAS used for Okene, Okehi, Adavi and some parts of Ajaokuta and Lokoja.