By
Managing
___________________________________
One of the star-witnesses of the APC at the Zamfara Governorship Tribunal, Dr. Mikailu Barau told the panel of judges that though Governor Dauda Lawal was declared winner of the 2023 governorship race, the process leading to his declaration as the winner of the election as faulty.
He stated that as card-carrying member of the APC he was not happy with the process presided over by the INEC because as an ethical person he knew what happened was wrong.
During cross-examination, Counsel to Dauda Lawal Chief Solomon Akuma, (SAN) asked Dr. Barau whether it is true that, the registration areas where elections do not hold were not secured. He stated that, “I am uncertain if the four registration areas where elections were not conducted were affected by insecurity”.
When asked if BVAS machine can be used during elections beyond the poling units, Barau told the tribunal that when there are disputes between parties regarding figures of accreditation, B-vas machines can be used at whatever level for settlement of such disputes.
Barau stated further that, to the best of his knowledge, BVAS machine was not used at the state collation center in Zamfara.
He was also asked why his name was not on the receipts of payments of CTC to the INEC but Barau insisted that the payments for all the CTC receipts were made through his lawyer Barr. Sule.
He was also asked consistently and by all the counsels whether if he was at all the poling units in Zamfara and also in all the Registration Areas when the election was ongoing. He stated that he was one of the state collation agents of the APC and that after voting he was at the state collation center but have their agents all over the poling units and Registration Areas.