INEC staff testify against Abiodun, revealed how election was rigged

Two ad hoc staff members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) appeared before the Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Thursday to testify about incidents of voting disruptions during the elections.

The witnesses were Ezeajaegbu Desmond, a former National Youth Service Corps member who served as a Presiding Officer, and Okitipki Mogbeyi, who acted as an Assistant Presiding Officer. Both witnesses testified that unknown thugs had disrupted voting at their respective polling units.

Desmond, who was assigned to Polling Unit 0012, Ward 6, Makun Sagamu, recounted how the thugs attacked his polling unit and set fire to electoral materials. His INEC reflective jacket was also burnt in the process. Despite the danger, Desmond managed to escape with the Biometric Voter Authentication System (BVAS) machine, as per his training to prioritize personal safety when facing such threats. He revealed that approximately 50 people had already voted before the hoodlums stormed the polling station, causing chaos and destruction.

During cross-examination, INEC’s counsel, Remi Olatubora, disowned Desmond, claiming that he was never an INEC Presiding Officer. Olatubora suggested that Desmond should have contacted INEC before appearing at the tribunal, despite the subpoena being addressed to him. The counsel accused Desmond of being an arranged witness, allegedly paid to testify for the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP). However, Desmond insisted on his role as a Presiding Officer and provided evidence of payment from the electoral umpire, denying any payment from the PDP to be a witness at the tribunal.

Mogbeyi, the other witness, also testified that her polling unit experienced an attack by unknown political thugs, leading to the disruption of voting. She did not report the incident to the police as security agents were present and witnessed the invasion themselves. Mogbeyi clarified that she appeared at the tribunal in compliance with the subpoena and denied receiving any payment from the PDP for her testimony, stating that the subpoena was personally addressed to her, not INEC.