Paradang vs Dimka: What happened at Tribunal on Thursday at Plateau Central Senatorial District

The Battle for the control of Plateau Central Senatorial District between Mr. David Paradang and Mr. Hezekiah Dimka began on Thursday at the Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Jos.

Paradang of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is challenging the victory of Dimka, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the 2019 National Assembly election at the Tribunal.

When the case came up for hearing, Paradang’s counsel, led by Mr. Sunday Oyawole, tendered almost 100 documents, which were accepted and marked accordingly by the Tribunal.

Oyawole began prosecuting Paradang’s case by calling witnesses to testify with some of the documents tendered, NAN reports.

One of the Prosecution Witnesses (PW5) Mr. Yohanna Iliya-Malo, a subpoenaed Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Collation Officer, gave an inside into alleged discrepancies at Kasuwa l polling unit, Gindiri Ward, Mangu Local Government Area (LGA).

When Oyawole presented Form EC8A1 for the Ward, Iliya-Malo confirmed that it was the result sheet for the Ward.

Responding to a question on the number of registered voters for the polling Unit as reflected in exhibit P36, the witness confirmed that there were 858 registered voters.

The counsel further asked how many people were accredited for the elections, and Iliya-Malo replied that there were 239 persons.

“Tell the Tribunal how votes were recorded in favour of APC? Oyawole asked and the witness said; “345 votes’’.

“And how many votes were recorded in favor of PDP? The witness also said; “79 votes.’’

When asked whether there were votes recorded for other parties, the witness answered in the affirmative saying; “ADP (1) SDP (1) and ABP (2) with no rejected vote’’.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that after more witnesses were taken and cross-examined by the respondent’s counsel, the tribunal adjourned the case to Friday, July 5, for the continuation of hearing.