Daniel’s Victory Result Sheet Not Signed By INEC - AC Counsel

Olayinka Olukoya, Abeokuta - 26.01.2006

Indications emerged on Friday in Abeokuta that the electoral result sheet, Form EC.8E, which pronounced Otunba Gbenga Daniel as the winner of the April 14, 2007 governorship election in Ogun State was not signed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Godfery Miri.

This was the position of Prince Babajide Aladejobi, counsel to the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Chief Dipo Dina, in the election before the Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta.

The Certified True Copy (CTC) of the form EC.8E was part of the evidence tendered by Dina to challenge the victory of Daniel.

Aladejobi, who cited Section 75 of the Electoral Act 2006, said, “Every result form completed at the ward, local government, state and national level in accordance with the provision of this Act or any guidelines issued by the commission shall be stamped, signed and countersigned by the relevant officers and polling agents at those levels and copies given to the police officers and the polling agents where available.”

Aladejobi, on Wednesday, showed the document to the INEC Administrative Secretary, Mr. Ebenezer Fakorede, who represented Miri.

The INEC chief was subpoenaed before the tribunal to tender documents used during the election. The tribunal accepted the document and marked it as Exhibit P3.

Counsel to INEC, Olayode Delana, prayed the court to withdraw the evidence as exhibit. Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), Daniel’s counsel, also aligned with Delana by asking the tribunal to reject the admissibility of the document.

Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Haruna Tsammani, rejected the pleas of the counsel. Tsammani said since they were present in the court when the documents were tendered and admitted as evidence without any objection, their new line of thought could not be accommodated.