'Dead man' testifies at Delta election tribunal

A mild drama took place on Wednesday at the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Asaba, Delta State, as a middle-aged man who was presumed dead surprisingly appeared in court.

The supposedly ‘dead’ man, Christopher Anirah is member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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Anirah was summoned by the Tribunal to give evidence in an election petition matter between Gibson Ighofose Akporehe of the All Progressives Congress and Evelyn Omavowan Oboro, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2015 House of Representative election for Okpe, Sapale and Uvwie Federal Constituency.

The APC candidate had through his counsel, Charles Umweni, told the Tribunal that Anirah, the witness he intended to call, could not come to the court to testify  because he was dead.

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When the Chairman of the three-man tribunal panel, Justice Adebukole Banjoko, called out Anirah’s name during the resumed hearing of the matter on Wednesday,  a man who claimed to be Christopher Anirah jumped to his feet and stepped into the witness-box to testify as directed by the tribunal chairman.

Anirah who is Oboro’s star witness in the matter, told the tribunal that  that his supposed ‘Death Certificate’ was forged.

Anirah said he was the rightful candidate  of APC  for the constituency in the election until his  name was “fraudulently substituted” with Akporehe’s name on account that he was dead.