Sunday, November 24

David Mark’s Aide, Victor Abang Testifies to Jonathan’s Victory

Mr Victor Abang, an aide to Senate President David Mark, on Friday testified that President Goodluck Jonathan did not provide logistics to INEC officials on the day of the Presidential Election.

Abang, who was a PDP’s supervisory agent in Boki, Cross River, gave the evidence at the Presidential Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja.

 

The witness explained that the allegation by the petitioner (CPC) that the President gave logistics to INEC staff used for the election was wrong.

He said INEC was responsible for the welfare of its workers and stressed that no such logistics was noticed in all the polling units he supervised.

“I happened to be on the field with other monitoring agents of other political parties, including agents of the CPC, and nothing of such was raised.

“The election was free and fair in the whole of Cross River as results were duly collated, declared and signed by agents of the political parties, that of CPC inclusive,’ ’he said.

Mr Kingsley Chinda, representing Obiakor Federal Constituency, Rivers, said that the election witnessed high turn-out of voters.

Chinda, who was also a PDP supervisory agent for the presidential polls, explained that INEC officials did not favour the party’s presidential candidate as a result of any inducement.

Sen. Nimi Amange said that the commission did not extend any undue advantage to Jonathan in Bayelsa, adding that Nigerians just voted for the president because they wanted him.

Mr Orok Duke, a PDP agent at the collation centre in Calabar, said that it was not true that Mr Mike Igini, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Cross River, assumed the function of the collation officer in Calabar.

He said that Mr Bassey Asuquo, the CPC agent at the collation centre, signed the result declared by INEC, adding that he did not raise objection when the result declared.

Mr Emmanuel Nsa, another PDP’s supervisory agent in the South Senatorial District in Cross River, said that the election materials were delivered to all polling units in time.

Nsa further stated that no ballot box was snatched by anybody, adding the exercise was peaceful as no agent of any political party in the contest made any complaint to the police.

Mr Magaji Bawa, a PDP supervisory agent from Kaduna State said that the distribution of the sensitive materials was neatly carried out by INEC officials, saying no confusion emanated during the exercise.

He however, explained that it took the intervention of the CPC governorship candidate, Haruna Kaguru and the running mate to the PRP’s governorship candidate, Tom Maiyashi to restore peace when the election was declared.

Bawasaid that election was not marred by violence but that violence engulfed the area after Jonathan was declared winner of the election.

Mr Victor Muruako, a member of the PDP’s Imo Election Monitoring Team, said that the presidential election was without violence and malpractices, saying voters and observers were happy with the outcome of the exercise.

Justice Kumai Akaas adjourned the matter to Tuesday for the president to continue with his defence.

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