The senator for Anambra South, Ifeanyi Ubah, on Saturday failed in his bid to stop an ICT expert from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from testifying against him at the Anambra Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Awka.

The tribunal had subpoenaed INEC ICT Directorate upon the application of the petitioner, Chris Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to provide some materials and testify in their matter.

When the INEC staff, Ama Agwe, appeared on the witness box on July 24, counsel to Mr Ubah and INEC, both respondents in the petition, objected and prayed the tribunal to reject his documents and not allow him to testify.

They argued that he was not among those originally listed to testify in the petition and that his written statement on oath was not done within the 21 days permitted by the electoral act.

George Igbokwe, counsel to Mr Uba, reminded the tribunal that the witness was a product of court order and that not allowing him would amount to the denial of fair hearing.

Mr Igbokwe said the objections should be discountenanced and that the court should not reverse itself.

Ruling on the matter at the resumed hearing of consolidated petition No. EPT/AN/SEN/11/2019 on Saturday, the tribunal held that subpoena was a court order similar to a writ of summons and must be allowed to testify.

The ruling which was read by Sunday Olorundahunsi, said that the objection could not be sustained as the argument of listing and front loading witnesses and evidences were not possible because INEC could not have easily deposed written statement against itself as a respondent in the petition.

The tribunal further said that the witness being a product of an order of court must be allowed to testify as the court could not approbate and reprobate at the same time.

“Tribunal is of the view that the INEC ICT Director be allowed to testify,” it ruled.

In his testimony, Mr Agwe, an Assistant Director, said he was in court on the authority of Director of INEC ICT Department, who was summoned by the tribunal.

The witness tendered documentary evidence, including Smart Card Reader accreditation data for all polling units in Anambra South with accompanying certificate of compliance.

Others were manual for election official 2019 and Regulations and Guidelines for conduct of election 2019.

During his cross examination, Dee Nwigwe, counsel to Mr Ubah, cited portion of the documents tendered which provided for alternative means of accreditation of voters in the event that smart card reader malfunctioned or did not have service.

Mr Nwigwe told the witness to provide evidence that there was service in the entire senatorial zone or that he interviewed the Presiding Officers that worked in the district to ascertain that all went well with functionality of smart card reader machines.

But Mr Agwe, in his oral testimony, said that INEC ICT unit monitored the process centrally in a National Situation Control Room where Presiding Officers transmitted accreditation data from smart card reader to a “back end”.

The witness, who was also cross examined by Obinna Adindu, counsel to INEC, said that the commission made a survey of the various places where elections would hold to ascertain the strength of various network services and provided two sim cards of the strongest networks.

“We provided spare card reader machines so that if one failed, the other could be uploaded,” he said.



Three other PDP witnesses, who worked as PDP agents in Nnewi Ichi, Umudim and Uruagu testified to bringing the total of petitioner’s witnesses so far entertained to eight.

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Thelma Okara, adjourned the matter untilto July 29 for further hearing. (NAN)

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-east/343514-inec-ict-expert-testifies-against-ubah-at-anambra-election-tribunal.html

But Mr Agwe, in his oral testimony, said that INEC ICT unit monitored the process centrally in a National Situation Control Room where Presiding Officers transmitted accreditation data from smart card reader to a “back end”

The witness, who was also cross examined by Obinna Adindu, counsel to INEC, said that the commission made a survey of the various places where elections would hold to ascertain the strength of various network services and provided two sim cards of the strongest networks.

“We provided spare card reader machines so that if one failed, the other could be uploaded,” he said.

Tuniski, ChristianNorth,

No wonder INEC chicken out of PEPT

engineerboat:


Tuniski, ChristianNorth,

No wonder INEC chicken out of PEPT

We now know Why INEC go the honourable way

engineerboat:


Tuniski, ChristianNorth,

No wonder INEC chicken out of PEPT

Did you find it difficult to understand simple grammar. Accreditation data . How is accreditation similar to transmission of electoral votes and results?. Don't be silly

Afamed:

Did you find it difficult to understand simple grammar. Accreditation data . How is accreditation similar to transmission of electoral votes and results?. Don't be silly

O ma to ye e, pele

Afamed:

Did you find it difficult to understand simple grammar. Accreditation data . How is accreditation similar to transmission of electoral votes and results?. Don't be silly

As usual insult is your second name. Go ahead.

Are you okay now.

engineerboat:


As usual insult is your second name. Go ahead.

Are you okay now.

Knowing the truth is honourable twisting the truth to favour your paymaster is dishourable. Desist from promoting non existing Server

engineerboat:


We now know Why INEC go the honourable way

INEC would have been given a knockout blow had they made any defense.

Afamed:

Did you find it difficult to understand simple grammar. Accreditation data . How is accreditation similar to transmission of electoral votes and results?. Don't be silly

But didn't INEC say they don't even have any server ?

Afamed:

Did you find it difficult to understand simple grammar. Accreditation data . How is accreditation similar to transmission of electoral votes and results?. Don't be silly

Ignorance is bliss!

FarahAideed:


But didn't INEC say they don't even have any server ?

They simply ran away from thorough scrutiny at the PEPT and now this! INEC has been busted.

Those apc goons jubilating that inec simply didn't make a defense at the PEPT as a good move will soon see their folly!

I just pray that a technicality hasn't been planted somewhere cos Atiku/PDP has a compelling petition.

engineerboat:


O ma to ye e, pele

Ko le ye!

tuniski:

Ko le ye!

Iru iru obe gbegiri

Afamed:

Iru iru obe gbegiri

Ko le ye e!

tuniski:


Ko le ye e!

Stop being bittered even Turaki himself has moved on

Afamed:

Stop consoling yourself

You and the rest of the goons on your side that are troubling yourselves. Allow things to be in the fullness of time.

Stop trying to shut people down cos they differ with you.

tuniski:

You and the rest of the goons on your side that are troubling yourselves. Allow things to be in the fullness of time.

Stop trying to shut people down cos they differ with you.

Turaki himself has moved on stop waiting for BRT at MMA 2

tuniski:


Ko le ye e!

Wake up Walter O is no more to give Jankara judgement

Afamed:

Wake up Walter O is no more to give Jankara judgement

I have never seen someone so bitter and rudderless even in so called victory like you.

You just to petty. Celebrate your buhari's victory and leave others alone you hear?

Kilode gan ni aha!

tuniski:

Ignorance is bliss!

The file below says it all. Senior wailer

tuniski:

I have never seen someone so bitter and rudderless even in so called victory like you.

You just to petty. Celebrate your buhari's victory and leave others alone you hear?

Kilode gan ni aha!

E pain am

Afamed:

The file below says it all. Senior wailer

The more you do this the more I enjoy it. Can you please bring more archives.


That must be some work, I am sure.

Afamed:

Wake up Walter O is no more to give Jankara judgement

I guess you know live in Aso Rock to be this fixated!

Ubah won his elect flat!...

He payed his way to victory...