Drama As 10 Abia Labour Party Witnesses Disappear From Court, Failed To Testify

 Ten witnesses scheduled to testify against the member representing Obingwa-West state constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly (ABHA), Hon. Erondu Uchenna Erondu, at the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, Abia State on Tuesday refused to testify in court.

The candidate of the Labour Party LP, Mrs. Victoria Onwubiko, had filed a suit challenging the declaration of Hon. Erondu Jnr as the winner of the polls.

 Mrs Onwubiko’s lead counsel at the last sitting had informed the court that they would bring more witnesses to testify on Tuesday and subsequently close their case.

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During the Tuesday proceedings , the lead counsel to the petitioner, Barrister Raymond Nkannebe, surprised the court by requesting an adjournment to a later date, saying that the witnesses they had expected in court earlier had disappeared from the court premises.

The Tribunal Chairman, Hon. Justice Kutigi, while expressing dissatisfaction with the situation, stated that time was of the essence.

Justice Kutigi while revealing that the tribunal was handling 15 other cases with limited time to conclude, warned that such behavior would no longer be tolerated.

He futher advised the petitioner to close their case if their witnesses were not forthcoming to avoid unnecessary delays.

He then adjourned the hearing to August 3, 2023, to give the LP Candidate the opportunity to bring her witnesses to court and close their case.

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Seven out of the ten witnesses called by Mrs Onwubiko to testify against Hon Erondu Jnr had on July 14, 2023 absconded without giving their testimony.

One of the witnesses had during cross-examination averred that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) register was not used, and the Biomidal Verification Accreditation System (BVAS) used in the state constituency election was malfunctioning.

But he later recounted, reversed his statement, while admitting hat the INEC voter register was used, and BVAS functioned properly, as he himself had voted using the system.