By OMORODION OMOREGIE

By now, John Mayaki?s predictable pattern of distortion is well known ? twisting facts, feigning objectivity, and spinning baseless narratives in a desperate bid to muddy the waters. His latest piece, ?? And Ighodalo Surrendered,? is no different ? an exercise in deliberate misrepresentation masquerading as analysis.

In yet another disingenuous piece, he advances the ignorant argument that the PDP?s decision to call fewer witnesses than initially listed somehow signals defeat. What he conveniently ignores is the fundamental principle of election petitions: ?documentary evidence is king?. Section 137 of the Electoral Act 2022 explicitly states that a petitioner does not need oral witnesses when certified true copies (CTCs) of electoral documents manifestly disclose noncompliance. This is exactly why the PDP legal team, composed of some of the finest minds in election litigation, relied heavily on documentary evidence ? CTCs of Forms EC8A, B, and C, as well as BVAS accreditation records ? to prove their case. These documents speak for themselves and do not require endless witnesses to validate them.

Mayaki?s gleeful fixation on witness numbers rather than substance exposes a fundamental ignorance of legal proceedings. If the APC is so confident, why have they spent months obstructing BVAS inspections, intimidating witnesses, and even deploying thugs to disrupt the tribunal? The truth is simple: they are terrified of a fair and transparent process because they know what it will reveal.

Far from ?grasping in the dark,? the PDP legal team concluded its case swiftly because the evidence is overwhelming. The tribunal is not a stage for theatrics where quantity trumps quality. Every witness and document presented was carefully selected to reinforce the irrefutable case against Monday Okpebholo?s fraudulent mandate. The idea that Ighodalo ?surrendered? by not calling 100 witnesses is not just laughable ? it?s desperate. What does it say about APC?s position if they need the PDP to waste time on redundant witnesses just to feel reassured? The reality is, they were banking on procedural missteps or delays ? neither of which they got.

Mayaki?s flair for fiction is on full display as he paints a scene of PDP supporters in ?disappointment? and ?hushed tones,? as though he were scripting a political drama. If anyone is drowning in fear and doubt, it is the APC and their handlers, who have been scrambling to contain the fallout from the damning evidence presented against them. Instead of cheap storytelling, let?s focus on the facts: BVAS records expose massive discrepancies in APC?s declared votes. INEC?s own documents contradict the results announced. Eyewitness testimonies have detailed clear cases of electoral malfeasance. These are the realities Mayaki hopes to distract from with his melodramatic prose.

Adding to the absurdity of this entire charade is the paradox of INEC?s own lawyers opposing the submission by INEC, of BVAS machines to the tribunal ? machines that are central to determining the true outcome of the election. Here we have the very institution that championed BVAS as a revolutionary tool for electoral transparency now actively through their lawyers, resisting its scrutiny in a legal process meant to ascertain the credibility of the election it conducted. If BVAS was indeed deployed as intended, why the concerted effort to keep this evidence out of the tribunal?s reach? This blatant contradiction exposes the extent of the rot within the system and raises serious questions about INEC for whom transparency should be the guiding principle, not obstruction.

Mayaki and his ilk may be rushing to declare victory, but deep down, they know the weight of the evidence against them. Their celebrations are a nervous reflex ? an attempt to convince themselves that bluster can override hard facts. But justice is not swayed by propaganda. The PDP?s case is built on substance, not noise. No amount of spin will erase the fraudulent irregularities that taint Okpebholo?s so-called mandate.

Mayaki can continue his predictable theatrics, but the facts remain unchanged. The evidence is on record. The judiciary is watching. And justice will run its course. The APC is right about one thing: the tribunal process is nearing its conclusion. What they fail to grasp is that the truth always prevails. And when it does, Mayaki will need to draft yet another desperate spin ? this time, to explain why Okpebholo?s fraudulent governorship collapsed under the weight of undeniable truth.

Joy is coming.

? Omoregie, a public affairs analyst, writes from Benin City.

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