Witness for both the first and third Respondents is finally out of the dock after two days of grueling cross examination by Philip Addison counsel for the petitioners who are challenging the results of the 2012 General Elections. In an electric atmosphere, Johnson Asiedu Nketia was taken through bouts of admissions, denials and a vigorous attempt by Addison to discredit the witness with a dramatic replay of an interview he granted on the controversial topic of no verification, no vote. The NDC scribe dismissed the call by the Petitioners that results of elections be annulled in polling stations in which people voted without being verified. In doing this, he said Chairman of the Electoral Commission has no power to make electoral laws during press conferences and if at all he makes those laws, it will not be binding on political parties. Johnson Asiedu Nketia was commenting on the famous “no verification no vote” order made by Dr. Afari Gyan Chairman of the EC, prior to the 2012 General Elections. The petitioners had always maintained that contrary to the rules by the Electoral Commission, people voted in the 2012 elections without being biometrically verified, an assertion the Respondents have dismissed. In court today, Addison asked the witness if he heard the "no verification; no vote" order given by the Chairman of the EC. Johnson Asiedu Nketia denied hearing the order but said he had copiously read about it. He added “Even if I heard it, I will not take it. Electoral rules are not established by the Chairman of EC at press conferences.” He had early on in the cross examination admitted, at least on the face of the pink sheet, that people voted without biometric verification. He described as “wrong entries” the figures on C3 and C1 column of the pink sheet which gives an indication as to how many people voted without going through the verification process. When he was asked whether he was privy to the annulment of results in certain polling stations in which people voted without being biometrically verified, Nketia said he heard of the annulment only when the petitioners filed their case. Controversial interview In a bid to contradict the testimony by the witness on the thorny issue of no verification; no vote, Philip Addison, with the consent of the witness and the court played an interview Asiedu Nketia granted Citifm on 20 December 2012. In that interview, the NDC scribe stated emphatically that there could not have been the incidence of people voting without being biometrically verified. He challenged the NPP to provide evidence of people voting without biometric verification and other irregularities, the consequences of which he said should result in the annulment of results. He said if it could be proven that people voted without being biometrically verified, those culprits should be jailed because it was in contravention to the rules set by the EC that no verification no vote. He added in the interview: “He who alleges must prove. So if they have proof that some electoral officers… because party agents cannot by themselves allow elections to take place in any polling station unless the presiding officers and the staff of the electoral commission agree and the police there also agree. So if there is evidence that any such thing happens and you and I know the electoral laws provide that wherever the irregularities are detected at particular polling stations the sanctions could be that the results of those particular elections be cancelled and taken out of the total national tally.” Soon after the recording was played and Nketia admitted that the voice was his, Addison fired: “Did you hear yourself talking about no verification; no vote as stated by the second respondent, EC?”. “Yes My lord. And I have said the same thing here,” Nketia answered. “Did you also hear yourself saying that when it is voting without verification the results of that polling station ought not to be added to the tally?” Addison probed further. “My Lord it is not in that tape. I mentioned that where somebody is able to prove some irregularities, and that is what is on the tape, then you can apply sanctions and some of the sanctions include nullification." When he was pressed further whether he heard himself say that the figures be annulled, he retorted I did not hear myself.