Dayo Israel, a Labour Party (LP) witness, before the Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Tuesday, disclosed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and his wife, Ibijoke, casted their votes despite having invalid voter cards during the 2023 governorship election.

Israel, who served as an LP agent for Unit 006, Ward 15, Lagos Island Local Government, made this testimony as part of the petition filed by the Party’s candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, seeking to nullify Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as re-elected Governor of Lagos.

According to the witness, he observed the card reader indicated that Sanwo-Olu and his wife had invalid cards, yet they were still permitted to vote, which he considered a violation of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s electoral process.

“I observed that the card reader showed their cards to be invalid but Sanwo-Olu and his wife were allowed to cast their votes and this is against INEC’s electoral process,” he said.

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Also, while under cross-examination by Charles Edosomwan, INEC’s counsel, the witness alleged that he was beaten up by APC supporters on election day.

He furthered that he recognised them as APC supporters based on their language, adding that they threatened to beat up voters who did not vote for the APC.

“I am not a member of the Labour Party, but I was assigned as an agent. When the APC thugs recognised me as an LP agent, they beat me up. They also said if voters did not vote for APC, they would beat them too,” Israel said.

The LP witness also revealed that four individuals attacked him during the casting of votes, but he managed to escape, changed his clothes to disguise himself, then returned to monitor the vote counting.

The witness also highlighted cases of multiple voting at the polling unit, noting that INEC officials failed to intervene despite witnessing the irregularities.

The petition was however adjourned till July 3 for further hearing.