Man collapses during hearing at Edo gov tribunal

A mild drama occurred n Thursday, at the resumed sitting of the Edo State governorship election petitions tribunal, as a middle-aged man collapsed while a witness was testifying that fraud marred the July 14 election in the state.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (retd), was challenging the re-election of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at the tribunal.
The man, believed to be a supporter of one of the political parties involved in the petition, suddenly made a strange noise, fell and hit his head on the floor, making everybody around him, including lawyers, to flee.
It took some minutes before the man could be rushed in a police van to the Central Hospital, adjacent to the venue of the sitting.
Judges at the tribunal, as a result of the incident, retired to their inner chambers, while the sitting was disrupted for about an hour.
Further checks by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that the man was epileptic and had been put on admission at the hospital, contrary to reports that he had died.
After the short recess, the four principal witnesses presented by Airhiavbere further testified that the governorship election in Orhionmwon and Egor local councils were marred by electoral malpractices.
During cross examination by Adeniyi Akintola, Adetunji Oyeyepo and E. Emukperhuo, counsel for Oshiomhole, ACN and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) respectively, Mr Ikponmwosa Eguavoen said one Mr Tony Agugu (Scorpion) brought old voter cards to the electoral centre to vote.