…Rivers’ admits in evidence election materials

THE Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal yesterday admitted in evidence Form EC 25 B used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to distribute election materials to all 23 local councils of the state for the said polls.

At the resumed heading, the tribunal chairman, Justice Suleiman Ambrosa, also admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits INEC Form EC 25 B (1) tendered by the PDP to prove the receipt of materials after the election.

The panel admitted the documents as the Rivers State APC Counsel, Chief Akinlolu Olujimi (SAN) deferred his objection to their admissibility to his final written address.

Explaining the relevance of Form EC 25 B (Material Receipt/Distribution) tendered in evidence by the
PDP counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) told the tribunal that the Form EC 25 B tendered in evidence by the party had proven that the state’s APC lied to the tribunal “when they claimed that materials were not distributed on election day.

He said that the Form EC 25 B showed in documentary terms how election result sheets, incident forms, voters’ registers and other key election materials were distributed across the state.

Uche also submitted that the Form EC 25 B (1) (Election Materials Receipt, Reverse Logistics) indicated the submission of all election materials used for the governorship election back to INEC office as required by law.

The PDP counsel stated that the APC had falsely claimed that election result sheets were not distributed on election day, pointing out that the forms were tendered to inform the tribunal on the true position.

He stated that all documents tendered and admitted by the tribunal had proved that the governorship election held in Rivers State contrary to the “assertion and propaganda of the APC. “

Also yesterday, the PDP tendered additional voters registers and incident forms.

The party’s defence of Governor Wike’s election continues today when it is expected to close its defence.