Edo Tribunal Affirms Okpebholo’s Victory, PDP Vows to Appeal
The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has upheld the election of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the duly elected governor of Edo State, dismissing the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
Delivering its unanimous judgment on Wednesday, the three-member panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, ruled that the petitioners failed to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate their claims of over-voting and non-compliance with electoral laws in the September 21, 2024 election.
PDP and Ighodalo had challenged the declaration of Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, as the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). They argued that the election was marred by irregularities in 320 polling units across the state.
In an attempt to prove their case, 19 witnesses were called, including collation agents and a research expert, who presented polling unit results, collation sheets, and BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) data.
However, the tribunal ruled that the witnesses were not competent enough, as most of them were not direct observers of the polling unit events. It further held that the petitioners failed to provide three critical documents—voter’s register, BVAS, and Form EC8A (polling unit result)—needed to prove claims of over-voting.
Justice Kpochi emphasized that the tribunal cannot assume the responsibility of scrutinizing documents not backed by oral evidence. “Documents do not speak for themselves,” the judge stated, adding that INEC’s BVAS data did not support the allegations of irregularities.
Consequently, the tribunal dismissed the petition and affirmed Okpebholo’s victory.
In a separate ruling, the tribunal also struck out the petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) and its factional chairman, Adekunle Omoaja, who sought to nullify Okpebholo’s election over allegations of corrupt practices and non-compliance.
The panel held that Omoaja lacked the legal standing to challenge the election since he did not participate in the governorship race. It further ruled that the matter was a pre-election dispute, which fell outside the jurisdiction of the tribunal.
Following the verdict, PDP and Ighodalo rejected the judgment and vowed to take their case to the Court of Appeal.
Meanwhile, Governor Okpebholo, in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, described the ruling as a victory for democracy and the people of Edo State.
“This victory is not mine alone but a victory for every citizen and resident of Edo State. It is a mandate to continue the work we have started, to build a state where everyone has the opportunity to thrive,” Okpebholo stated.
He also extended an olive branch to Ighodalo and the opposition, urging them to set aside partisan differences and join hands in moving Edo forward.
“The administration remains committed to good governance, transparency, and inclusive development. It is time to focus on delivering on campaign promises and ensuring a brighter future for the state,” the governor added.
As the PDP heads to the Court of Appeal, all eyes remain on the next legal battle over the Edo governorship election, which continues to shape the state’s political landscape.
