Osun Election Tribunal: Adeleke, PDP’s Witness Can’t Read Own Statement
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last governorship election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke had an embarrassing outing on Wednesday at the sitting of tribunal hearing the petition they filed against the election.
Most of the nine witnesses they called could not communicate effectively in English language, could not read the statements they claimed to have authored in English and could not answer questions logically.
Some of the witnesses also claimed to have multiple signatures, samples of which the tribunal later admitted in evidence.
The tribunal Chairman, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo had to intervened intermittently, to explain questions to the witnesses in pidgin English before they could respond.
The witnesses, who claimed to have acted as PDP agents during the election, were led in evidence by petitioners’ lawyer, Nathaniel Oke (SAN).
They were cross-examined by respondents lawyers, including Lasco Pwahomdi (for the Independent National Electoral Commission – INEC), Aboidun Owonikoko, SAN, (for Adegboyega Oyetola) and Lasun Sanusi, SAN, (for the Ala Progressive Congress – APC).
Ariyo Oladiti, who testified as the petitioners’ 4th witness (the the first on Wednesday) before the Osun State governorship election tribunal, said he served as PDP’s agent in Polling Unit 10, Ward 7, Atakunmosa West Local Government.
When asked, under cross examination by Pwahomdi, to explain irregularities in his signatures in his written deposition and the result sheet, Oladiti said he has multiple signatures.
He agreed that the signatures in both documents were not similar. The witness was later asked to sign specimen of his different signatures in plane sheets, which the tribunal admitted in evidence.
The second witness of the day, Ado Garba (who was PW5) also claimed to have multiple signatures, samples of some of which were admitted by the tribunal.
While being led in evidence by Oke, Mumuni Salaudeen (another witness) said he acted as PDP’s agent in Unit 11, Ward 11 in Osogbo Local Government.
He claimed to have signed a written deposition which he made on October 16 this year before at the tribunal’s registry in Osogbo.
But, when asked by Oke if he wants the written deposition to be admitted as his evidence before the tribunal, the witness jolted everyone when he said no.
Oke repeated the question about two more times, but the witness insisted on his earlier response.
Realising that the witness did not understand the question or grasp its import, the tribunal Chairman, upon a request by Oke, admitted the written deposition.
When asked to read part of his written deposition, the witness took the document and kept staring at it.
When the tribunal Chairman asked him what the problem was, Salaudeen said he could not read and write in English.
Wakili Animashahun, who was the last witness for the day (as PW12) exhibited similar attributes.
He claimed to have multiple signatures and also could not answer questions logically.
When asked, under cross-examination if the results in his polling unit were announced by the Presiding Officer before it was recorded in the results sheet, the witness said no.
His response was in conflict with his claim in his written deposition, which he earlier admitted to have signed, and which the tribunal admitted.
When Oke attempted to correct his witness’ error, tribunal Chairman overruled him and said “it was a witness’ inalienable right to contradict himself.”
Further hearing resumes today.