Metro

Edo Election Tribunal: 4 PDP Witnesses Allege Over-voting In Polling Units

Published

11 months ago

January 23, 2025

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate in the September 21 governorship election, Asue Ighodalo on Thursday called four additional witnesses to bring to ten the total witnesses they have called to continue their attempts to prove their allegation of irregularities in the election.

This number is the largest the party and the candidate have presented since the case started.

Recall that the PDP and its candidate in the election are challenging the INEC’s declaration of Governor Monday Okpebholo, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner.

The four witnesses challenged the outcome of the result in some polling units in Esan North East, Oredo, Esan South East and Esan Central Local Government Areas in the state.

Giving his testimony at the resumed hearing of the Petition marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, the petitioners’ witness and PDP Esan North East Local Government Area Collation Agent, Mr. Igbarase Matthias, prayed the tribunal to admit his statement on oath which he deposed to on October 11, 2024, in support of the petitioners’ case

He claimed in his statement that there was overvoting in nine polling units relating to exhibits PCB 40- PCB 48 of Form EC25B series in his Local Government Area.

Matthias told the court that in arriving at his statement on oath, he relied on certified true copies of INEC’s Voters Register, Forms EC25B’s, EC8A’s, INEC election manual booklet, screenshots of IREV copies of Form EC8A, BIVAS accreditation Report and BiVAS Extract being CTC’s of Form EC8C, after personally examined them

He tendered IREV-certified true copies of results sheets obtained from INEC and duplicate Copies of Polling Unit Results Sheets of Form EC8A given by INEC to polling unit agents and his party agent card as documentary evidence.

Upon cross-examination by lead counsel to the 1st Respondent (INEC), Kanu Agabi, the witness said he made his deposition on October 11, 2024, while the screenshots of INEC’s BIVAS Report he relied on his statement were certified by INEC on January 8, 2025.

He admitted that PDP Unit and Ward Agents signed the election result sheets, adding that he did not function as a unit agent or Ward agent for his party in the election.

On his part, the PDP agent for Oredo Local Government Area, Aigbe Ighodaro Lucky, told the court that there was overvoting in 66 polling units in the local government area and incorrect scores were entered by INEC for his party in favour of the APC during the election.

He said he relied on INEC documents to arrive at his statement on Oath and adopted the same as evidence in the petition.

Ighodaro also told the Tribunal that there was no prior recording of serial numbers of sensitive materials deployed for the election locally in INEC’s form EC25B.

When cross-examined by counsel to the respondents, the witness claimed to have relied on INEC documents made available to him in the formation of his deposition, despite never participating in the signing of the documents except Form EC25C

“My Lord, I did not examine any BiVAS Machine used for the election all through the process during my work as PDP Local Government Area Collation Agent in Oredo. But I examined the documents given to me by my party”, the witness submitted.

For Adekunle Oboh, PDP Local Government Area Collation Agent in Esan Central, there were irregularities in 23 polling units in the area during the election.

He specifically told the court in his testimonies that there was no prior recording of serial numbers of sensitive materials deployed to the polling units in the area in Form EC25B.

Oboh said the polling unit results sheets were signed by his party agents up to the ward level before he signed Form EC8C.

According to Wilson Ibhawa, the petitioners’ Esan South East Local Government Area Collation Agent, there was no prior recording of serial numbers and sensitive materials used in the election in Form EC25B in five polling units in his area.

Justice Wilfred Kpochi, Chairman of the Tribunal, however, admitted the documents in evidence provisionally, pending the arguments of the respondent’s counsel.

He, therefore adjourned sitting to Friday, January 24, 2025 for the continuation of the hearing.

Related Topics:#Edo election Tribunal PDP Tribunal

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Metro

JUST IN: Military Jet Crashes In Niger Community

Published

3 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

A jet belonging to the Nigerian Air Force has reportedly crashed near Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

This was disclosed by a Niger State-based online digital television network, Lapai TV, in a post on its official Facebook page on Saturday evening.

“Two Nigerian Air Force Pilots Reportedly Survive Alpha Jet Crash Close to Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State,” the post stated

The incident was said to have occurred Saturday evening.

At the time of filing this report, the military has yet to make any official communication about the incident.

Details shortly…

Metro

Court Remands Four Foreigners Over Alleged Kidnapping, Hostage Taking In Ogun

Published

6 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

An Ogun State Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, has ordered the remand of four foreign nationals arrested for alleged kidnapping, hostage taking and unlawful detention of several foreign victims.

This is even as the Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a medical doctor for allegedly transporting medical supplies from Sokoto State to suspected kidnapping gangs in Kwara.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Kwara State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the suspect was intercepted at Jebba in Moro Local Council, following an intelligence tip-off which linked him to a drug-delivery network servicing the criminal groups.
The arrest is said to be part of ongoing efforts to disrupt the supply chains aiding armed gangs across the region.

According to the statement, the kidnappers have recently become more desperate in seeking medical attention, particularly for treating gunshot wounds sustained during gunfights with security operatives.

Chief Magistrate A. K. Araba ordered the remand of Augustine Nketia Boateng, 41; Johnson Apan Julus, 43; Dramane Lenganir, 26; and 37-year-old Simms Raphael, all citizens of Ghana, Benin and Burkina Faso.

The suspects were arrested at their operational base in Harmony Estate, Pakudi Obada Area, Ogun State, by officers of the International Police (Interpol), Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID) Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, led by Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni.

The court ordered their remand at the Oba Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) following a motion ex parte marked MA/83PJ/2025, filed and moved by Morufu Ajani Animashaun, a legal officer in the Force Legal/Prosecution Department.

Animashaun told the court that the application was brought pursuant to Section 367 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Laws of Ogun State, 2017, and the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

He prayed the court for an order remanding the defendants for alleged kidnapping, abduction, hostage taking and unlawful detention, pending the issuance of legal advice by the Ogun State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), for a period of 60 days in the first instance.

He also sought an order directing their remand at the Ibara Correctional Centre, Abeokuta.

The motion was supported by an 18-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Inspector Oyebisi Oni of the Interpol Section, alongside a written address and documentary exhibits.

In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Araba ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Oba Centre of the NCoS pending the DPP’s legal advice. The case was adjourned to February 27, 2026.

According to the affidavit, Interpol received a request on November 7, 2025, from the National Central Bureau (NCB), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, concerning a case of conspiracy, kidnapping, abduction, human trafficking and obtaining money by false pretence.

The complaint was lodged by one Mr. Lengane Toyazoula against the defendants and others at large.

The request sought Interpol’s assistance in rescuing a 23-year-old Burkinabe woman, Lengane Audrey, allegedly held captive by the suspects. Based on intelligence from the NCB, a team of detectives from Interpol FCID Annex, Ikoyi, was deployed to Abeokuta, where the suspects were traced to Harmony Estate. Sixteen victims comprising Burkinabe nationals, 12 Ghanaians, one Togolese and one Ivorian were rescued.

During interrogation, the defendants allegedly admitted collecting 1,869,000 CFA (equivalent to N4,790,036.77) as ransom. Further investigation reportedly revealed that they lured victims from other countries into Nigeria under the guise of securing Canadian visas, collected money from them and detained them against their will.

The affidavit stated that the suspects, operating from Harmony Estate, unlawfully imprisoned the victims and extorted money from their families. A proposed charge sheet was attached as an exhibit.

The police officer further noted that the duplicate case file had been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on December 2, 2025, and that a remand order was needed to detain the suspects for 60 days pending legal advice.

The affidavit also stated that 12 rescued victims had been handed over to the Consular General of the Ghana High Commission on December 3, 2025.It added that granting the remand application would serve the interest of justice.
(GUARDIAN)

Metro

Construction Worker arrested For Stabbing Supervisor Over N10,000

Published

7 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

A 35-year-old workman known as Joshua has been arrested and detained at the Boundary Police Division in Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, for allegedly stabbing his site supervisor, Sopiriala Sokari, into a coma over a N10,000 debt.

According to eyewitnesses and the victim, Joshua had been hired by Sokari to transfer blocks to a construction site for N20,000.

However, when Sokari offered to pay him N10,000 upfront, Joshua refused and demanded full payment.

The incident occurred along Obiri Ikwerre Road, where Joshua allegedly broke a bottle and stabbed Sokari after a heated argument.

In a telephone conversation with journalists shortly after regaining consciousness at th:e hospital, Sokari narrated: “There is a boy called Joshua. He did a job for me, to transfer blocks to where they are working.

“The total job he did was 20,000 naira. So when he did the job, as I saw him, I asked him to take N10,000 first, let me confirm the job, then I will give him the balance.

“He refused, insisting that I must give him the whole money. He later met me where I was eating along Obiri Ikwerre Road, saying that I should give him the money now. I still insisted that I would give him only N10,000 till I confirmed the work.

“The next thing, he went and broke a bottle. The woman who was selling even had to bring out 20,000 naira after seeing his mood and gave it to him. After taking the money from the woman, he still used the bottle and stabbed me.

“Now I am lying down at Cottage Solution Hospital, Mbodo Aluu, where I was admitted. I am calling on Nigerians to help me. I have spent a lot of money. I need justice.”

The victim is currently receiving treatment at Cottage Solution Hospital, Mbodo Aluu, and has sustained severe injuries.

The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of Joshua and is conducting an in-depth investigation into the matter.