The governorship election tribunal sitting in Ogun State took a dramatic turn when the panel admitted as evidence forensic analysis of ballot papers in the case against the incumbent governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Recall that the main opposition party in the state, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, dragged the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, Governor Abiodun, and the APC before the tribunal challenging the declaration of the governor as the winner of the March 18 governorship election.
150,656 ballot papers used for the conduct of the election were admitted in evidence.
The ballot papers were tendered by a forensic examiner, Reginald Nwoze, a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Though the respondents’ lawyers objected to the admissibility of the ballot papers, they reserved their reasons until final addresses.
While being cross-examined by the respondents, Nwoze said he examined and analysed the ballot papers from 12 Local government areas of the state.
According to him, the ballot papers tendered were sourced from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Giving the analysis of the ballot papers, Nwoze said, 37,401 were with multiple thumb prints, 3,470 were squashed and smeared, while 109,785 were with normal thumb prints.
Showing the court his findings, Nwoze disclosed that votes were said to be cast in some of the ballot papers using white board markers instead of being thumb printed.
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Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
