PDP’s Star Witness, Chidoka Testifies At Presidential Election Tribunal

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Friday called their star witness, Mr Osita Chidoka, to testify at the Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal.

The opposition and the former vice president are challenging the election of President Muhammadu Buhari at the Tribunal sitting in Abuja.

At the resumed proceeding, Mr Chidoka who is a former Minister of Aviation stood in the box as the 62nd witness for the petitioners.

He informed the Tribunal that he was PDP’s National Collation Officer and head of the Situation Room for the February poll.

READ ALSO: PDP Closes Case At Presidential Election Tribunal, Calls 62 Witnesses

Chidoka claimed that the accreditation of voters with card reader was deliberately avoided across the country to give room for over-voting.

He also informed the Tribunal that he had never seen the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The former minister, however, said INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, told them about the server and acknowledged its existence during the collation of the presidential election results.

He spoke when he was cross-examined by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Yunus Usman, who represented the electoral umpire at the Tribunal.

Chidoka said he was there when the results were collated but noted that the collation was done manually.

After a series of proceedings which lasted over two months, the petitioners finally closed their case at the Tribunal.

They called a total of 62 witnesses to testify, in addition to the tendering of documents to prove its case before the Tribunal.

The Tribunal, therefore, adjourned proceedings until July 29 for the commencement of defence.