Posted by However, various contradictions and parallels in the claims of the witnesses have continued to trail the proceedings since Monday, when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) brought more witnesses to testify before the governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the state capital.
During cross-examination by INEC’s counsel, Ota resident and witness Mrs. Mulikat Yemi admitted that her statement was similar to that of another witness, Balogun Olanrewaju. She also noted that both witnesses made the same error and omission in paragraph 6 of their statements.
Thomas Abiodun, a photographer from Iyesi-Ota in Ado Odo Ota Local Government, testified for the party but falsely stated that he had signed the statement he gave on June 16. In reality, he had signed it on April 6.
Paragraphs 3 and 4 of his testimony were also found to be consistent with the testimonies of other witnesses after being seen and compared.
Furthermore, Abiodun lied under oath when he told the Tribunal that the information in his statement came from his own personal knowledge, but then changed his story during cross examination to say that the information came from an unnamed official at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The witness statement of Mr. Kushimo Akeem, a cloth seller from Gbagura, in Abeokuta North Local Government, who was also called by the PDP, was found to be identical to the statements of other witnesses after careful review by Counsel to INEC.