Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to Commence Hearing on Monday
The Election Petition Tribunal for Edo State’s governorship election will begin its proceedings on Monday in Benin City. The tribunal was established to address petitions filed by political parties and candidates contesting the outcome of the September 21 election.
According to the Secretary of the Tribunal, Muazu Bagudu, pre-hearing sessions will commence for seven petitions filed by dissatisfied parties and candidates. These petitions aim to challenge the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
Okpebholo was declared the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), garnering 291,667 votes. However, his closest rivals, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party, are contesting the results.
The PDP, along with six other political parties, has filed petitions to nullify the election results and declare its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, as the rightful winner. Other petitioners include the Accord Party, Alliance Party, Social Democratic Party, Allied Peoples Movement, Action Democratic Party, and Zenith Labour Party.
A total of seven petitions have been filed, with each case seeking to challenge the declaration of Okpebholo as the winner. The three-man tribunal, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, will oversee the proceedings and determine the merit of each petition.
It is worth noting that the National Judicial Council inaugurated the Election Petition Tribunal just one week before the conduct of the September 21 governorship poll in Edo State.
