The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of threatening its witnesses billed to testify before the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Thursday.
Ken Mozia (SAN), the lead counsel for the PDP and Asue Ighodalo, the party’s candidate in the September 21 governorship election, told the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led panel that they noticed the development ahead of Thursday’s hearing.
Mozia said although the witnesses’ names were redacted, they were identified due to their roles in the election.
He told the judge that he gave the respondents the list of witnesses, but soon after, these witnesses became scared.
READ MORE: INVESTIGATION: How Edo Gov Election Was Rigged for APC by Design
“My lord, we gave them the list of witnesses, but what they did to some of those witnesses was beyond imagination, to the extent that some of them are afraid to come and testify,” Mozia said.
Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), counsel to the APC and Monday Okpebholo, the party’s candidate, faulted the PDP’s claims and said the petitioner knew what to do if its witnesses were threatened.
Kpochi told the petitioner to prepare the list of its witnesses and present them again to the APC.
The PDP, alongside six other parties, have petitioned the tribunal to nullify Okpebholo’s election victory, citing irregularities and electoral fraud.
FIJ recently published a report detailing how the September election was marred with over-voting and irregularities that favoured the APC.
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