The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, has ruled in favor of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), rejecting a petition seeking to nullify his victory.
In a unanimous decision on Wednesday, the three-member panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, dismissed the case filed by the Accord Party (AP) and its gubernatorial candidate.
The tribunal also declined the request for a fresh election, citing the petitioners’ failure to provide substantial evidence to support their claims.
Tribunal Rules Against Petitioners
The AP and its candidate had alleged widespread irregularities in the September 21, 2024, election, including corrupt practices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
However, the tribunal noted that these accusations were not backed by concrete evidence.
According to the panel, the petitioners made “general and sweeping allegations” but failed to specify the polling units or wards where the supposed malpractices took place.
The tribunal described some of their claims as “vague” and found no merit in their arguments.
Election Results Stand Firm
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier declared that Governor Okpebholo secured 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Asuerinme Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 247,655 votes.
The AP candidate trailed far behind with only 252 votes.
Dissatisfied with the outcome, the AP challenged the results, claiming multiple thumbprint voting, voter intimidation, and failure to use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in several polling units. Despite these allegations, the tribunal ruled that the petition lacked a reasonable cause of action.
More Petitions Dismissed
This decision follows a similar ruling in which the tribunal dismissed a petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) against Governor Okpebholo.
With both cases now settled, attention shifts to the joint petition by the PDP and its candidate, Asuerinme Ighodalo, who are still contesting the election results.
Stay tuned to NIGPOST for the latest updates on this developing story!
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