INEC disown fake ad hoc staff in A/Ibom at tribunal hearing

Isaac Job, Uyo

An Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staffs in Akwa Ibom state, Ikpong Inyang has disowned a witness, William Ndarake, who claims to be an ad hoc staff of the commission.

Speaking yesterday as a respondent witness at the sitting of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Inyang, a subpoenaed witness for the first respondent, Governor Udom Emmanuel tendered his original identity card as evidence that he is an INEC staff.

He stated that William Ndarake, a petitioner witness did not serve as the assistant presiding officer 2 of the commission in Abiakpo, Ntoedino, ward 4, unit 5 in Obot Akara Local Government Area as claimed, stating that he has a list of all ad hoc staff for ward 4 and the list of supervising officers in the council area.

He told the tribunal that the presiding officer in that unit was a female corps member, Ifeyinwa Ifeanyi and her name was listed among the names of people he supervised in the presiding officers list as admitted in evidence by the tribunal as exhibit RS 27.

Inyang explained that Ndarake was not among the names of the people he supervised and his name was not on the list, adding that the result sheet of unit 5, ward 4 presented as exhibit RSA 564 in court was signed by said corps member.

The witness, who said he watched the video presented in court by Ndarake also noted that the man identified in the video thumb printing ballot papers as the presiding officer in unit 5, ward 4 in the local government area was an impostor.

“The presiding officer in unit 005 ward 4 was a female and not a male. Before we departed from INEC office in Obot Akara, I took attendance and the presiding officer was Ifeyinwa Priscilla Ifeanyi.

“Ndarake Williams was not among the names of the people I supervised and his name is not on the list. The result sheet of unit 005, ward 4 was signed by Ifeyinwa Priscilla Ifeanyi, who is a corps member,” he insisted.

Previously, a digital forensic expert, Edidiong Udoh had described the video evidence earlier tendered by Ndarake, as stage -managed to mislead the tribunal.

Udoh said Ndarake’s video evidence was recorded under duress with the phone placed on the ground, noting that the video showed scenes recorded by more than one person.

He said however, he could not prove where the video was recorded as the GPS was switched off on the video recording device by the producer of the video to prevent analysts from tracing the location of the events recorded in the video.

With the testimony of Inyang, Counsel to the first respondent, Gov. Udom, Asam Asam (SAN) closed his case.

The tribunal granted the request of the counsel to the second respondent, Uko Udom (SAN) to open their case and proceed with their witness today.