An agent of the Labour Party in the recently concluded election in Lagos state, Dayo Isreal, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of allowing Governor Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Ibijoke to vote with invalid cards.
Isreal, who is also a witness to the petition filed by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party governorship candidate, told the Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that the card reader showed their cards to be invalid but Sanwo-Olu and his wife were allowed to cast their votes.
The witness told the headed Justice Arum Ashom-led tribunal that the act was against INEC’s electoral process.
Under cross-examination from counsel to INEC, Charles Edosomwan (SAN), the witness also claimed he was beaten up that day by some All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters on election day.
“I am not a member of the Labour Party but I was assigned as an agent. When the APC thugs recognised me as an LP agent, they beat me up. They also said if voters did not vote for APC, they would beat them too,” Israel said.
When asked by counsel to the governor and his deputy, Muiz Banire (SAN) to describe how he was beaten.
“During casting of votes, four of them beat me up. I ran away, changed my clothes to disguise myself and came back to monitor the counting of votes.”
He also noted that there were cases of multiple casting of votes which INEC officials allegedly failed to intervene.
“I observed more than 3-4 people voting more than once at the polling unit. INEC staff conducted the elections, though they looked the other way when this was going on.”
While answering questions from counsel to APC, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), the witness disclosed that a total number of 126 people were accredited at the polling unit where Governor Sanwo -Olu voted.
He maintained that APC had 121 votes while Labour Party scored two votes.
