Kogi Tribunal: Confusion as SDP witness contradicts self on alleged ‘affidavit forgery’
.Renders testimony baseless
The testimony of a witness of the Social Democratic Party at the Election Petitions Tribunal on the Kogi State governorship election went awry, on Thursday as the witness’ statement before the Tribunal contradicted the documents submitted.
The petitioners had delved away from BVAS, after their star witness claimed he was not in Kogi State during the said election, and alleged that the All Progressives Congress candidate, now the Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, forged his age declaration affidavit.
The witness, one Dan Musa Williams from the FCT High Court, in Abuja, who had said the document did not emanate from the Court, upon cross examination, could not substantiate his claims.
When asked whether he checked the record of the registry to ascertain that it was a forged document, he said he just looked at the date, being a Saturday and concluded that it could not have been from them.
It was, however, found that the “declaration of age” affidavit was sworn in Okene, Kogi State, and not in FCT, but the witness claimed that a lawyer forwarded the one he was talking about to him.
Confusion, however, set in when the witness claimed that he also concluded that the affidavit submitted by the APC candidate was fake because it did not have the name and picture of the deponent on it.
At this point, the attention of the SDP witness was drawn to the fact that the affidavit with INEC, which he also annexed, had both the picture of the deponent and name, and that it was sworn in Okene and not FCT.
The contradictions between what the witness said in court and the documents he (the same witness) presented to the court, seemed to have damaged his testimony beyond repair, as he could not give further defence after the discrepancies were pointed out.
Sitting was thereby adjourned to March 30, 2024 for continuation of hearing.
Pius Akubo, SAN, represented the petitioners, while Kanu Agabi SAN, JB Daudu SAN, and DC Denwigwe SAN represented the Respondents.