Plateau Guber: Gov Lalong’s Witnesses Recount How Useni, PDP Won Polling Units

Witnesses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State yesterday testified before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Jos that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Jeremiah Useni won the governorship election in their polling units with a wide margin.

 

Testifying before the tribunal, Dung Isaiah Bitrus of Ratsak Zabot ward of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area during cross examination by counsel to Useni, Benso Igbanoi said the PDP won the governorship election in his polling.

 

“PDP won the governorship election in my polling unit and I signed the result sheet and was given a duplicate copy which I handed over to my ward collation agent.”

 

Also, Lam Joseph Choji of Heipang in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area told the tribunal that in the result sheet that he signed, PDP won the election in his Kabong 1 ward  with 550 votes against APC with 99 votes

 

Ringpwom Byetfa of Shishiri ward in Langtang North Local Government Area informed the tribunal that in his Kumbwan 1 polling unit, PDP scored 360 votes as against APC’s 68 votes.

 

However, during cross examination by Useni’s counsel, Benson Igbanoi on the alleged certificate forgery of Governor Lalong, Lalong’s star witness,  Hon Luka Fwanyil and former Attorney General of Plateau State, said Lalong contested the election with a name Simon Bako Lalong and not Simon Sule Lalong as being contested.

 

He noted that he was the returning officer for both APC and Simon Lalong in the governorship election and said the poll was peaceful, free, fair and credible.

 

“The election was free and fair, I did not receive any report of electoral malpractice from any of the collation centres across the state.”

 

Chairman of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Hon. Justice H.A. Saleeman expressed disappointment over the failure of the 2nd Respondent, Simon Bako Lalong and his legal team to produce their witnesses  as directed by the tribunal.

 

She said only four witnesses showed up for Lalong when seating resumed on Friday 26th July after the tribunal had reluctantly adjourned two times on Thursday at the instance of the respondents.

 

Source: sunnewsonline.com