Witness admits alteration to presidential results

THE Imo State collationofficer for theIndependent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the April 16 presidential poll, Professor Enoch N.T. Akobundu, on Tuesday, admitted before the presidential election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja that there were some alterations in the result sheet he submitted to the commi-ssion after the election.Professor Akobundu, a deputy vice chancellor in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, was the sole witness of INEC that gave testimony during the proceedings on Tuesday.When counsel for the petitioner, Abubakar Malami, asked the witness to take a look at Form EC 8E (final result sheet containing results from the 21 local government areas of the state) and tell the court whether or not the alterations made therein were duly counter-signed by him and the respective agents, in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), Professor Akobundu confirmed the alterations on the form, but quickly explained that the changes in some figures were done in the full glare of all stakeholders in the election, including agents of some political parties who waited till the result was declared.'The alteration on the exhibit EPT 14 occurred before all the agents signed; the agents did not countersign the result sheet, because most of them did not wait till the final result was declared,' he said.Justifying the position of the commission that the presidential poll in Imo was free and fair, the witness said 'there was no shortage of election materials and no presiding officer or agent in the state was arrested throughout Imo State on the day of election as being alleged,' adding that all agents of political parties had free access to the collation centre where I was collation officer.'A Certified True Copy (CTC) of form EC 8E made available indicated that figures from 11 of the 21 councils were altered, perhaps to reflect the accurate position.So far, INEC had called three witnesses, though it was billed to close its defence today.
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