Some witnesses have told the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, on Monday, how they were used as fake delegates to vote for Engineer Seyi Makinde during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary elections.
This came at the commencement of hearing of the suit before Justice Ganiyu Sunmonu of an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, Counsel to Senator Adeseun, Barrister Michael Lana called two witnesses
Senator Hamzat Ayoade Adeseun, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, is challenging the emergence of Engr. Seyi Makinde as the party’s gubernatorial candidate in Oyo state.
APC members used as Fake PDP delegates – Witness
One of the witnesses, Maruf Alimi told the court that they were allegedly brought in from Iwo local government in Osun state “as fake PDP delegates to vote for Engineer Makinde during the September 30th gubernatorial primary held at the mainbowl of Obafemi Awolowo stadium, Ibadan.
Alimi said he participated in the Oyo state’s PDP primary despite being a member of the All Progressives Congress in Iwo local government area in Osun State, saying, “I am a politician, a member of APC in Osun State. About 20 of us were approached where we usually gather in Ogburo town in Iwo local government.”
The witness added, “the man who approached us told us that he is a member of PDP and he brought us to Ibadan.”
“We were lodged at the A3 hotel in Ibadan on the 29th September. We were later taken to the field where the election was conducted, and the 20 of us were given delegates cards. Once they call a local government, those who brought us would say we should go up to vote and we voted for Seyi Makinde that day.”
The second witness, Oluwatosin Alimi narrated how she was purportedly brought along with other nine women from Iwo local government to vote for Engineer Makinde on that day too as delegates
However, during the cross examination, Counsel to the defendants, Barrister Adeniyi Farinto described the two witnesses from Iwo as fake witnesses and liars.
Court hearing continues
Further hearing of the suit was adjourned till tomorrow (Tuesday) for further cross-examination of other witnesses.
InsideOyo.com recalls that Adeseun stormed out of the Obafemi Awolowo stadium venue of the PDP governorship primary election after complaining that the list of delegates for the election have been allegedly doctored with names of some of loyalists and supporters missing on the list.
Additional reporting by NNNewspaper
