Dayo Israel, a Labour Party (LP) witness, testified before the Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Tuesday that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and his wife, Ibijoke, voted in the 2023 governorship election despite holding illegal voter cards.
Israel, who worked as an LP agent for Unit 006, Ward 15, Lagos Island Local Government, gave this testimony as part of the petition filed by the Party’s candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, attempting to overturn Sanwo-Olu’s re-election as Governor of Lagos by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the witness, the card reader indicated that Sanwo-Olu and his wife had invalid cards, but they were still allowed to vote, which he regarded a breach of the election process of the Independent National election Commission.
“I observed that the card reader indicated that their cards were invalid, but Sanwo-Olu and his wife were allowed to vote, which is contrary to INEC’s electoral process,” he added.
In addition, during cross-examination by INEC lawyer Charles Edosomwan, the witness claimed that he was beaten up by APC supporters on election day.
He went on to say that based on their language, he recognized them as APC supporters, and that they threatened to beat up those who did not vote for the APC.
“I am not a Labour Party member, but I was assigned as an agent.” When the APC thugs realized I was an LP agent, they assaulted me. They also stated that if electors did not vote for the APC, they would defeat them as well,” Israel stated.
The LP witness also said that four people attacked him while he was voting, but he escaped, changed his clothes to disguise himself, and then returned to monitor the vote counting.
The witness also mentioned instances of repeated voting at the polling unit, stating that despite observing the anomalies, INEC officials did not act.
The petition was, however, postponed until July 3 for additional consideration.
Mismob Media