The Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo, challenging the outcome of the Sept. 21, 2024 governorship election.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday in Abuja, the tribunal upheld the election of Gov. Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo who polled 247,655 votes.
The three-member tribunal dismissed the petitioners’ petition on the grounds that they failed to prove their allegation of over voting.
The tribunal also held that the petitioners failed to call competent witnesses to speak to documentary evidence they brought to the tribunal.
This the justices said amounted to dumping of documents on the tribunal as they could not prove how the documents led to their allegations of over voting
Meanwhile, the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed the petition of the Action Alliance (AA) against Gov. Monday Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Delivering judgment on Wednesday in Abuja, the tribunal dismissed the petition filed by AA and Mr Adekunle Omoaje for being frivolous and lacking in merit.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi held that Omoaje who filed the joint petition had no locus standi (legal right) to institute the case.
The tribunal further held that Omoaje did not participate in the governorship election and as such had no power to question the validity of the election.
The tribunal also ruled that Omoaje’s grouse against the election was that he was not recognised as the National Chairman of the Action Alliance for the purpose of nominating candidate for the poll.
It however, said that his claims had no basis in the Electoral Act 2022.
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the Omoaje and the AA went before the tribunal asking it to rule that the declaration of Okpebholo and APC as winners of the Sept. 21, 2024 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was illegal, unlawful, unconditional and null and void.
Omoaje also alleged that the election was characterised by gross corruption and also that Okpebholo and APC did not win majority of lawful votes cast in the election.
He further alleged that AA was not allowed to nominate a lawful governorship candidate for the election since he did not sign the nomination form as the National Chairman of the party.
Speaking with newsmen after the judgment, counsel to the petitioners, Mr Adewale Adebayo said he was not satisfied with the judgment of the court
He, however, said he would communicate the decision to his client and await further instructions.
Dismisses Accord Party’s Petition Against APC, Okpebholo
Earlier, A 3-man panel of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, dismissed a petition by Dr Bright Enabulele, the governorship candidate of Accord Party, in the September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election held in the State.
By the petition, Dr Enabulele, had challenged the declaration of Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governor of Edo State, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Delivering judgment on the petition by the Accord Party and its governorship candidate, Dr Enabulele, the tribunal, headed by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, refused to nullify the election of Governor Okpebholo.
In a unanimous decision, the tribunal led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, also declined to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to conduct a fresh governorship poll in Edo state.
The tribunal held that the prayer, as contained in the petition filed by the Accord Party and Dr Enabulele, could not be granted as they failed to discharge the burden of proof placed on them by the law.
Consequently, the Tribunal struck out the petition for being incompetent.
The petitioners had alleged that the governorship election was held in non-compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC’s rules, as well as was marred by corrupt practices.
However, the Tribunal contended that the petitioners failed to provide any credible evidence to establish the allegations.
The panel noted that the petitioners made “general and sweeping allegations” against the outcome of the election, but failed to show particulars of exact polling units or wards where the alleged electoral irregularities were perpetrated.
The Tribunal described some of the depositions in the petitioners’ affidavit as “vague”, insisting that the allegations against governor Okpebholo’s victory, were not substantiated.
Therefore, the Tribunal said it found merit in all the preliminary objections raised by the APC and the Governor, challenging the competence of the petition.
Recall that Dr Bright Enabulele had approached the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, challenging the process that produced Senator Monday Okpebholo.
Specifically, Enabulele said he filed the petition on the basis that the election was conducted substantially on non-compliance with the electoral process.
Enabulele had alleged that the election was characterised by electoral malpractices and fraud allegedly perpetrated by the INEC, and sought to be declared as the winner of the governorship election.
The petitioners claimed that the results of the election were manipulated, and cited his experience at Ward 5 at St Saviour Ivbiyeneva Primary School unit 1 in the Ikpoba/Okha Local Government Area, where he voted but officially received zero vote.
