There was overvoting during Kaduna Guber election, witness tells tribunal

During Monday’s cross-examination of witnesses at the current governorship election tribunal in Kaduna, a witness stated that there was over-voting by 100 votes in his polling unit.

As Haruna Abubakar testified before Justice Victor Oviawe’s panel, using his deposition as evidence, 700 voters were registered, but 800 ballots were counted in the end.

A businessman named Abubakar said in court that he waited around for the election results after casting his ballot, but that, contrary to what is required by the Electoral Act, he was never informed of the outcome.

The witness said “no” when asked by INEC’s counsel, Alhassan Umar, if he remembered how many ballots had been counted as valid and how many had been rejected.

Hauwa Hussaini, another witness in court, testified, “After I was duly accredited at the polling unit, I cast my vote and stayed back until the votes were counted.” This occurred at precisely 8:45 p.m. on election day.

During cross-examination by the respondents’ counsel, she explained that overvoting occurs when there are more ballots cast than registered voters.

On the 18th of July 2023, another witness named Lantana Mikaila testified before the court and stated that the election process started out peacefully but deteriorated into chaos.

On Monday, however, the hearing was restarted, and the petitioners—PDP candidate Isa Ashiru and his party—called five witnesses to testify about overvoting at their individual polling places.

The case has been continued to 25 July 2023 so that further witnesses can be cross-examined.