YOBE State's Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja has been told by staff members of a new generation bank how a sum of N15m (£48,300) was paid into the account of the resident electoral commissioner (REC) shortly before the April 11 gubernatorial election.  

During the last election, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner with 334,847 votes compared with 179,700 votes for his nearest rival Alhaji Maina Waziri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, the PDP is challenging the results before the electoral tribunal at a hearing currently taking place in Abuja 

Yesterday, the two senior staff of the bank confirmed that there were lodgements of N8m (£25,750) and N7m (£22,500) respectively into the accounts on April 8, 2015. They also confirmed that only N23,000 was in the account before the money was paid. 

One of the witnesses and the operations manager of the Damaturu branch of the bank, Umar Alkali, tendered some of the documents and bank statement of accounts and tellers through which the money was paid. He added that  N7m was paid into the account on the same day and also brought the bank statement and tellers to show that the money was paid in. 

Also, the acting branch manager Bamaaji Kukawa, added: “The account was not opened in my branch, so we had to ask for the scanned copy of the statement of account from the branch where it was opened in order to produce it in court. N8m was deposited into the account on April 8, 2015 and was withdrawn after it was paid into the account. 

“The statement of account showed evidence of lodgement into the account. He initially had N23,000 in his account and all of a sudden, he withdrew N600,000 and transferred about N7m.” 

Alhaji Waziri, is challenging the victory of the governor at the tribunal, alleging irregularities and corruption. His counsel Abiodun Owonikoko,  said the aide camp to the governor and the resident electoral commissioner were joined in the petition because of the allegation of corruption involved. 

However, the counsel to Governor Gaidam described the allegation as baseless, saying the petitioner is only out to entertain the court. The tribunal continues sitting and will hear testimony from other witnesses.