The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned indefinitely judgment in the legal battle concerning the Edo State Governorship Election Petition.
Justice Garba Lawal, presiding over the hearing of the appeal filed by Mr. Asue Ighodalo and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announced that the date for the judgment delivery would be communicated to the involved parties at a later time.
The apex court’s adjournment sine die followed arguments presented both for and against the election that resulted in Senator Monday Obekpolo being declared the duly elected governor.
Ighodalo, represented by Ken Mosia SAN, appealed to the Supreme Court to remove Obekpolo and declare him the winner of the election, arguing that he secured the majority of lawful votes.
However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), through its counsel Kanu Agabi SAN, urged the court to dismiss the appeal in its entirety.
Agabi contended that Ighodalo and the PDP had initially characterized the election as invalid and unlawful due to non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022. INEC argued that having deemed the election unlawful and illegal, Ighodalo and the PDP could not then request the court to declare them winners of said illegality.
INEC accused Ighodalo and the PDP of inconsistency in their grievances and pleaded for the dismissal of their case due to lack of merit.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja previously upheld Okpebholo’s election as governor of Edo on May 29, dismissing Ighodalo’s case from the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Mohammed Danjuma, unanimously ruled that Ighodalo’s appeal lacked merit, affirming the election tribunal’s original judgment.
Ighodalo rejected the Court of Appeal’s judgment and vowed to contest the verdict at the Supreme Court.
