Edo Election Tribunal: Witness Testifies Against Self

A graduate of Business Administration, Mr. Felix Okoro on Friday testified at the Election Petition Tribunal sitting at the High Court in Benin City where he testified in a manner contrary to his witness deposition statement during cross-examination.

Okoro, who mounted the dock to testify in favour of the petitioners – the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu at the resumed hearing of the Edo State Elections Petition Tribunal, had stated in his deposition statement that, “accreditation and voting in 2016 election were simultaneous.”

However, during cross-examination, Okoro had a different account to give, to wit that, “nobody in my unit was accredited but we voted. I did not write a protest letter to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) about this”.

Okoro, of No 14, Oboh Street, off Benin-Agbor Road, adopting the deposition statement had said, “I read business administration and I am a business man. I read my written deposition carefully before I signed it. I understood what is contained in it before I signed it and I still stand by it”.

When asked if he stated in his deposition statement that accreditation and voting during the 2016 election was done simultaneously, Okoro answered in the affirmative.

Besides, Okoro was shown his statement from which he read part of it were he clearly stated that accreditation and voting were conducted simultaneously but in his oral evidence, he said, “the presiding officer did not give me the voters register on the day of election and nobody in the unit was accredited, but we voted”.

Continuing, he said, “Before I voted, I did not submit my voters’ card to the presiding officer.”

However, when shown exhibit PO 3 (14) – the voters register – to confirm if he was the one in serial number 737, he said, “Yes, I am. That’s me”. Continuing, he said, “I was ticked to have voted, but no accreditation. I voted. I did not submit my voters’ card to the presiding officer”.