It was yet another eventful time at the Tribunal today in the case of Idris Wada, Awoniyi & others Vs. Alhaji Yahaya Bello & APC.

The Respondents opened their case by calling their first witness, Mr. Edward Onoja, the Campaign Director General and Chief of staff to Governor Yahaya Bello.

Before proceeding further, it is pertinent to state that, all the misrepresentations regarding the proceeding should be ignored and discarded, as it is grossly derailing and malicious. However, some of the evidence given by Mr. Edward Onoja during the cross -examination will be paraphrased and produced here for a proper review.

The petitioners' counsel, challenging his status and the role of Mr. Edward Onoja during the election, asked him to produce his voter's card as he claimed to have voted during the election. To this, Mr. Edward affirmed he has his voter's card but not in his possession.

NB: it was an attempt to discredit Mr. Edward's credibility as a voter in tune with what happened in the election. This did not take away the fact that Mr. Edward has the knowledge of what transpired during the election, even if he happened to be an "observer", he can still give evidence in the case, as there is no way to prove that, he did not participate in the election or not credible to give the evidence.

The counsel asked, "Were you at the collation centre during the election?" Mr. Edward answered, "No, I was at my polling unit throughout."

NB: this is probably to cast a doubt on the authenticity of election results. As admitting that might mean he has an ulterior motive, seeing that, Mr. Edward was not an agent of the party in the election.

"Did Yahaya Bello vote during the election?" Asked the Counsel. Mr. Edward replied "I wouldn't know"

NB: Having said His Excellency voter's card carries Abuja address, it would have been dangerous to admit His Excellency voted in any ward in Kogi State as his application to transfer the Voter's card was not complied with.

Mr. Edward was given a marked exhibit of "Form For Nomination of Governor(Form E.C. 4B ii)" to primarily affirm that the name of James Faleke was not written on the form as a running mate/Deputy Governor to Alhaji Yahaya Bello, of which he confirmed that James Faleke was not written on the Form as a running mate/deputy Governor.

NB: the error here is that, the nomination Form was the Form meant for the candidate nominated to substitute late candidate. The Form cannot have the same content with the first one before the substitution of candidate, as the "running mate/deputy Governor" was very much alive and his status as such subsisted.

Also, Mr. Edward was asked, "Will it surprise you that INEC stated in paragraph 33 and 32 of INEC's reply that Faleke was no longer the running mate the moment Audu died?"
He answered, "No, I am not surprised."

NB: We were not told what "question/issue" in the petitioners' brief that necessitated such "reply" from the INEC. But be it as it may, as Audu died, James Faleke ceased to be his "deputy" because his status of "deputiship" has now been transfered to a new candidate. In this case, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. That's the logic from the INEC's reply.

The Counsel: "Are you aware that James Faleke withdrew his nomination as a deputy governor?"
Mr. Edward: "I am not aware".

NB: there was nothing in the public or the Party that suggested that James Faleke withdrew his nomination as the running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello. The question was probably meant to waste time.

"Yahaya Bello had 6,885 votes in the 21 November, 2015 supplementary election." The counsel adduced. "The votes are for APC not Yahaya Bello", replied Mr. Edward.

NB: it is long established that, votes belong to the Party not to the candidate. so, Mr. Edward answered rightly.

As the Counsel tender a copy of results of the election, he demanded, "Take this and read, whose name is there?" "Yahaya Bello of APC...." read, Mr. Edward. The counsel insisted that the "Yahaya Bello" was read without the "APC", but Mr. Edward insisted as he hammered on "Yahaya Bello of APC..."
NB: this an attempt to get the counsel's desired answer as he asked previously. But, Mr. Edward outsmarted him.

The Counsel: "Was James Faleke sworn in at the inauguration?"
Mr. Edward: "He was not present".


NB: James Faleke was the deputy Governor elect in the eyes of the law but he chose to went AWOL during his inauguration. No one crown an absent "prince".

Counsel: "Was James Faleke impeached?" "He was a Deputy Governor elect, he was not sworn in, so he cannot be impeached" Mr. Edward replied the Counsel.

NB: truly, you don't impeach the elected who refused to be sworn in. He automatically "impeached" himself because he absconded his inauguration and abandoned his election.

Funny enough, as unexpected of a learned counsel to "politicize" a judicial proceeding, he asked if Mr. Edward was aware that "vote of no confidence" was passed on Governor Yahaya Bello. True to his smartness, Mr. Edward "put it back" to him, that about 5,000 party members also passed vote of confidence on Governor Yahaya Bello.

Case to be continued on 25th April, 2016.

interested in this case

Noted

ages2020:
Noted

things might change oooo after all na era of change be this self. That state too de on low key. Nothing special about the State just like that state gets Million allocation this days hahaha I know call names ooooo

Hmmmm politics.