Edo Guber: APC Gov Okpebholo Emerges Winner, Edo PDP Rejects Verdict, Sets For Appeal
Tracy Ohovwore, Benin city
There has been a wave of jubilation following the announcement on Wednesday in the camp of Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as their victory in the September 21, 2024, governorship poll was confirmed by the court.
The three-man Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which sat in Abuja, had dismissed the petition brought before it by the aggrieved candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo, for lacking merit, challenging Okpebholo’s victory.
However, the Tribunal ruled that the PDP’s petition failed due to a lack of competent witnesses. It also noted that contrary to section 16 (1) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act, the petitioners, in their reply, introduced new facts that were not contained in their substantive case and were therefore rejected and struck out.
However, contrary to the position of the Respondents, the panel admitted as valid, documents the petitioners tendered in evidence from the Bar. It also noted that the petitioners were very detailed in chronicling the wards and polling units where the alleged infractions took place.
This not withstanding, the tribunal held that the PDP and its candidate merely dumped exhibits before it without demonstrating them through competent witnesses as required by the law.
The Tribunal also noted that the PDP’s petition also failed, because of insufficient evidence to substantiate claims of electoral malpractice. The petitioners had alleged that the failure to properly record electoral materials prior to the election had affected the results.
However, the Tribunal found that while documents were submitted, no witnesses were called to properly authenticate them, rendering the evidence inadmissible.
In addressing allegations of over-voting, the Tribunal posited that for such allegations to be proven, petitioners must provide oral evidence in line with the precedent set by the Supreme Court, while insisting that it was bound to adhere strictly to the Supreme Court’s roadmap in adjudicating election disputes.
It was also revealed that the witnesses called by the petitioners had no direct knowledge of events at the polling units, as they were not physically present during the election, the three-man panel held that the petitioners ought to have called witnesses with firsthand accounts to substantiate their claims.
In light of these findings, the Tribunal returned the verdict that the petitioners failed to meet the required burden of proof, and it subsequently struck out their petitions, causing wild jubilation in the ruling party and its sympathisers.
Meanwhile, the Edo State chapter of PDP has rejected the Election Petition Tribunal ruling in favour of Senator Monday Okpebholo.
In a press statement signed by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, it was stated that the party completely disagreed with the tribunal’s decision.
According to him, “The Edo State Election Petition Tribunal has delivered its ruling on our petition challenging the result of the Edo State Governorship Election of September 21, 2024.
“Although we hold the judiciary in the highest esteem as a political party and respect the judgment, we completely disagree with the decision of the tribunal.
“We believe, without any doubt, that our candidate, Asuerinme Ighodalo in the election was duly elected by the majority of the voters in that election and are certain that we sufficiently proved our case before the tribunal.
“It is on the back of this conviction that we call on all our members to quickly rise up from the ashes of this temporary setback as we take our matter to the appellate courts.
“As firm believers in the rule of law and the ultimate superiority of right over wrong, we call on all our supporters to keep hope alive as we explore all available democratic means of enthroning the will of the people of Edo State.”
