The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal will deliver its judgment on Wednesday in the case filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
The PDP and Ighodalo are challenging the victory of Sen. Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
Why the PDP Went to Court
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Okpebholo as the winner, with 291,667 votes, while Ighodalo secured 247,655 votes.
The PDP, however, claims the election was marred by irregularities and is asking the tribunal to nullify the results.
Tribunal’s Proceedings So Far
The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, reserved judgment on March 3 after both parties submitted their final written arguments.
The panel will rule on three separate petitions marked: EPT/ED/GOV/01/2024, EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, EPT/ED/GOV/03/2024
On January 31, the tribunal admitted 148 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines into evidence. These machines were used in 133 disputed polling units and were presented by Anthony Itodo, a Senior Technical Officer in INEC’s ICT department.
- PDP’s Argument: The election should be canceled due to non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.
- APC & Okpebholo’s Defense: The case is baseless, and the petitioners failed to provide evidence of electoral fraud.
The tribunal’s verdict on Wednesday will determine if Okpebholo’s victory stands or if a rerun is necessary.
