AWKA—A witness has told the Anambra State Election Tribunal sitting in Awka that there was no scarcity of election materials in his Nzam ward during the April 19, 2003. Mr. Emeka Joseph, an APGA member from Nzam in the Anambra West Local Government who led in evidence by Chief Goerge Uwachue (SAN) said the result of the election declared in his ward was genuine. But he could not explain the discrepancy in the figures in the result sheet tendered by Governor Chris Ngige. His evidence: Joseph, the 100th witness for Ngige gave his evidence thus:
Uwache: Do you belong to any political party?
Joseph: Yes
Uwache: Which political party?
Joseph: APGA
Uwache: Do you remember the 19/4/2003, when the presidential and governorship elections took place?
Joseph: Yes
Uwache: Did you play any role?
Joseph: Yes, I voted.
Uwache: Tell the tribunal where you voted.
Joseph: I voted in Ogbeliba Village Square in Nzam ward.
Uwache: Do you know how many wards are in Nzam?
Joseph: We have just one ward.
Uwache: Some people alleged that election did not take place in your place. Is that correct?
Joseph: That was a proper lie.
After his evidence INEC lead lawyer, Chief B.O Onyali (SAN) took him up on cross-examination.
Onyali: Are you still a member of APGA?
Joseph: Yes
Onyali: At the polling booth where you said you voted, did other parties have their agents?
Joseph: Yes
Onyali: You told the tribunal that the INEC officials handed over materials to the collation officials, this handing over, where was it?
Joseph: If I said another thing before, that was a mistake, that was at the collation center.
Onyali: Do you remember APGA ward chairman during the election?
Joseph? He is Emmanuel Nwambu.
Onyali: Your polling booth is Ogbeliba village square?
Joseph: yes
Onyali: In that booth it is correct to say that only APGA and PDP got votes?
Joseph: Yes, PDP got the highest
Onyali: The person you said came on a motorcycle and handed over the result sheet, who is he?
Joseph: They said he was INEC official
Onyali: How long did the handing over of INEC materials take?
Joseph: About 10 minutes.
At this juncture, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) for Peter Obi took over the cross-examination.
Ikpeazu: Please, show him AC 8(v) (result sheet from his ward), look at the bottom of the result, what is the number of total valid vote?
Joseph: It is 80.
Ikpeazu: Look at item 6, what do you have as total valid vote?
Joseph: It is 82.
Ikpeazu: Read the entire item 6, what did it say?
Joseph: (Reads)
Ikpeazu: Is there a difference between rejected votes and valid votes?
Joseph: There is difference.
Ikpeazu: Look at the number of ballot papers issued, what do you have?
Joseph: They wrote 100.
Ikpeazu: Look at item number 7, total number of used ballot papers, what is that?
Joseph: They wrote 82.
Ikpeazu: Do you know the difference between 100 and 82?
Jose ph: 18
Ikpeazu: Now look at item 3, number of unused ballot papers, what do you have?
Joseph: 35
Ikpeazu: Does AC 8 (v) make sense to you?
Joseph: No answer
Ikpeazu: I put it to you that that result is total nonsense, it does not make any sense.
Joseph: It is not nonsense.
