Ahmed Usman Ododo, Kogi State governor, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are set to commence their defence on April 15th at the governorship election tribunal in Abuja.
This follows the closure of the case by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Murtala Yakubu (Ajaka), after presenting 25 witnesses.
The tribunal, headed by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, confirmed the date after the SDP and Yakubu concluded their case, despite initially indicating they had 400 witnesses. The SDP and its candidate are contesting Ododo’s victory in the November 11, 2023 poll.
During the proceedings, lawyers representing INEC, Ododo, and the APC opposed Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, from leading witness Edidiong Udoh, a digital forensic expert, in evidence.
They argued that the witness’s name was not listed in the proof of evidence and that his statement on oath was not provided alongside the petition.
Despite objections, Okutepa insisted on leading Udoh in evidence and requested a brief recess for the respondents to review the witness’s report. Udoh, seeking to amend a statement on oath, clarified a specific phrase regarding suspicious software.
While Udoh provided testimony, objections arose regarding the submission of his certificates as exhibits.
Respondents’ lawyers contested the tendering of photocopies without the originals, prompting Udoh to explain the oversight and assure the presence of the original documents.
During cross-examination, Udoh clarified his role as team leader and addressed discrepancies in his report compared to SDP’s petition. He confirmed the content of the BVAS Machine snapshots and discussed his expertise in dactylography.
Despite discrepancies, the tribunal admitted Udoh’s certificates as exhibits and advised respondents’ counsel to reserve objections for their final address.
The case adjourned to allow Ododo and the APC to begin their defence on April 15th.
