A subpoenaed witness called by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the ongoing Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Tuesday appeared with 316 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines used in 19 local government areas of Kaduna State in the March 18 governorship election.
The subpoenaed witness, a staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who is the Head of the Communication Unit in the Department of VR/ICT at the commission, stated in his witness statement that he is capable of operating and demonstrating the machine.
He told the Court categorically that, the governorship election in Kaduna State was conducted peacefully and in strict compliance with the election guidelines.
Salisu, who presented 316 BVAS machines for 19 Local Government Areas, demonstrated how the machines work before the court, clarified that, contrary to insinuations, nobody would have been able to tamper with the BVAS machines before or after the election.
However, during cross-examination, Salisu, clarified that he had never acted as an INEC official and did not operate the BVAS machine during the last governorship election in Kaduna.
Counsels representing the second and third respondents had earlier raised objections to the opening and demonstration of the BVAS machine by the witness called by the PDP in its subpoena application.
Chief Duro Adeyele (SAN), counsel to the second respondent, objected to the admissibility of the documents presented by the witness and referred to a supreme court judgment regarding the oral examination of witnesses. He added, “Our reasons for objection would be included in our final written statement to the tribunal”.
Presiding Judge, Justice Victor O. Oviawie, however, admitted the opening and demonstration of the machines but directed the defence counsels to file their objections in their final written addresses, saying that, if the objections are found to be valid, the exhibits related to the machine will be expunged from the records.
Upon the application by counsel to the petitioners for adjournment which was not objected to by the respondents, Justice Oviwie adjourned the sitting to Wednesday, 26th July, 2023.
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