Ado-Ekiti — Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ado-Ekiti, hearing the petition filed by Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate in the April 25 rerun election, yesterday discovered several discrepancies in some polling units in Usi Ward, Ido-Osi Council area of Ekiti State.

AC Candidate in the election, Dr Kayode Fayemi, is challenging the declaration of Governor Segun Oni as winner of the election and wanted the result nullified in six wards, for non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2006 and the Election Manual.No fewer than six witnesses, including Adufe Omotayo, Adebayo Ilori, Kolawole Lawrence, Obasola Olofin and Akinyemi Ojo, gave evidence in support of Oni at the tribunal.

For instance, during yesterday's sitting, in the FormEC8A tendered for polling unit 10 of Usi Ward, the presiding officer could not account for 10 ballot papers out of the 300 issued to the unit.

Also, in polling unit 16 of the same ward, while the presiding officer recorded 450 as the total number of ballot papers issued to the unit, he recorded 511 in the Form EC8A as the total ballot papers used in the unit,an indication that the number of ballot papers used exceeded the number issued to the unit.

However, all those who gave evidence claimed that the election was free and fair, and devoid of any violence, adding that Oni won the election in their polling units.

Ilori, who was respondent Witness 10 (RW10) tendered the result purportedly issued to him as PDP polling agent for unit 10, Usi Ward.

Led in evidence by Counsel to Oni, Mr Adebayo Adenipekun, SAN, he dismissed the claim of earlier witness called by the petitioners, that the election was marred by violence. While being cross examined by counsel to the petitioners, Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN, Ilori claimed that 300 ballot papers were issued to the polling unit, out of which 25 were recorded as unused ballot papers, 257 as total valid votes, while eight were rejected.