The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mr. Asue Ighodalo, challenging the results of the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
The tribunal, sitting in Abuja, delivered its judgment on Wednesday, affirming the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Okpebholo the winner of the election with 291,667 votes, while Ighodalo secured 247,655 votes.
The three-member tribunal panel, in its ruling, stated that the PDP and Ighodalo failed to substantiate their claims of over-voting during the election. “The petitioners failed to prove their allegation of overvoting,” the tribunal stated in its judgment.
Further elaborating on the dismissal, the tribunal emphasized the petitioners’ failure to present compelling witness testimony to support the documentary evidence submitted. The justices criticized the petitioners’ approach, stating that they “failed to call competent witnesses to speak to documentary evidence they brought to the tribunal.”
According to the tribunal, this failure constituted “dumping of documents on the tribunal” as the petitioners were unable to demonstrate how the submitted documents supported their allegations of over-voting.
The ruling effectively solidifies Governor Okpebholo’s position as the duly elected Governor of Edo State. While the PDP and Mr. Ighodalo have the option to appeal the tribunal’s decision, this ruling marks a significant victory for the APC in the ongoing legal battle surrounding the Edo State governorship election.
