How PDP Substituted Gagdi Votes In 17polling Units – Evangelist Sam Bok Tells Tribunal
Yakubu Busari
At the State, National Assembly Tribunal sitting at the State High Court ,Plateau State on a suit filed by Hon Timothy Simon Golu , a Defense Witness DWP2 ,Evangelist Sam Bok on Monday has said that over 3,700 votes belonging to Rt Hon Yusuf Adamu Gagdi was subchanged at the wards coalition centres of Pankshin LGA.
The DWPW2 , said he served as the ward coalition centres as LGA returning officers of 137 polling units the collection exercise was peaceful until my polling units ward agents reported that 17 polling units were altered by the PDP in favour of their candidate ,Hon Timothy Simon Golu .
Bok maintains that they were at the Local Government Council coalition centres PDP supporters storm the venue and cause the place to be rowdy ,when sought to know those who create the tension he repeated that supporters of the petitioners .
No vote was recorded for APC in 17 polling units as the Witness confirming to the tribunal while cross examining him ,” Evang. Sam Mbok” , on the election sitting in Jos, Plateau that no vote was recorded.
He also said Hon . Timothy Golu (PDP) during the 2019 elections at the Kururuwa-I polling unit of Pankshin the omitted his scored .
The Former Member Representing PKK ,Hon Golu has approached the National ,State Assembly Tribunal challenging the declaration of Mr Yusuf Gagdi, by INEC as duly elected representative of Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam Federal Constituency in the National Assembly election of March 9.
Evang Mbok, while on witness box been cross we a mined by Golu’s counsel, Mr Sunday Oyawole, told the tribunal that no single vote was recorded for Golu of PDP on the final result sheet even though he scored 303 votes.
“Defence witness, look at Exhibit P3, confirm it’s the result sheet for Kururuwa-1 polling unit in Pankshin? He answered, “yes it’s my Lord.”
“Please look at Exhibit R2X, the final result sheet, and confirm to this honorable tribunal that there is no result for Kururuwa-1 there. Mbok said, “there isn’t .”
“Look at P3, which is the result sheet for Kururuwa-1 polling unit, tell the tribunal what PDP scored that wasn’t recorded. Mbok said, “PDP scored 303 votes.”
“But you know that results from polling units are all expected to be recorded on that total result sheet? Oyawole asked and the witness answered in the affirmative, “yes, they are.”
Again, Oyawole showed Mbok another result sheet meant for Barak polling units, where PDP scored 374 but only 324 votes were recorded and he (Mbok) answered in affirmative, “yes only 324 votes were recorded on the result sheet.”
After Oyawole ‘s cross-examination, Garba Pwul, told the tribunal that he wasn’t continuing with the defence but had finished with the business of the day and asked for an adjournment.
“My Lord, we are through with the business of today and wish to apply an adjournment to enable us prepare well, “ Pwul solicited.
At that pronouncement, the tribunal furiously declared, “you must be joking. You just took one witness and you are asking for an adjournment even after you told us you have 25 witnesses to take in the three days we gave you?”
“This is your second day out of the three given you for your defence and you have succeeded in taking only two witnesses, yet you are asking for adjournment.
“We won’t take that from you . Don’t try to be smart with us. We have no time to waste please; just call your witnesses and let’s proceed with the business of the day, “ the tribunal declared.
Pwul, in his defense, said, “my Lord, we didn’t know that the prosecution (Golu) and 2nd Respondent (APC) would tendered the documents they tendered today and so we have to restrategise
“We are not even going to take Mr Idris-Tal today, because of that, and so wish to apply for an adjournment to enable us bring our remaining witnesses from Kanam, Kanke and Pankshin LGAs, “ Pwul Pleaded.
Oyawole, however, objected to the application, as he described it as an “outright ploy’ to deny us of fair hearing.”
“But My Lord, for a party that wishes to waste our time should be made to pay cost. We are asking for N50, 000 cost if we should concede to the adjournment, “ he applied.
The tribunal, in its ruling, described the attitude of Pwul as “very surprising “ and “ unreasonable “ and a “total waste of time of the tribunal.”
The tribunal however awarded a cost of N20, 000 against the 1st respondent (Gagdi) and then adjourned the case to July 2 for continuation of hearing.
