Eric Ofuegbu, the Mathematics Professor presented by the Labour Party in front of the Presidential Election Petitions Court, disclosed that he analyzed reports exclusively from two states. These states, namely Benue and Rivers, were the focal points of contention between the Labour Party and Peter Obi due to significant instances of over-voting, which impacted the overall outcome of the presidential election held on February 25, 2023.
While testifying, Ofuegbu acknowledged that he had not received any payment for his research on the results obtained from these two states. He admitted to relying on data extracted from the INEC result viewing portal to conduct his analysis. In his witness statement, he asserted that, based on his collation and mathematical calculations, there were numerous instances of extensive over-voting in both states.
During cross-examination led by Abubakar Mahmoud, the lead counsel representing INEC, the witness was presented with a copy of the presidential election result sheet from polling unit 002 in Degema, Rivers state. The document indicated that 40 individuals were accredited and 40 individuals voted at that polling unit. The INEC lawyer argued that the equal number of accredited voters and ballots contradicted the claim of over-voting.
Further questioned about why he focused primarily on Rivers and Benue states, the witness stated that it was merely a random selection. When asked whether analyzing election results from just two states was sufficient to draw conclusions about a presidential election, the Professor responded that he was constrained by time.