Truth Live News International can confirm that the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal will commence its pre-hearing session on Monday, January 9, 2024, in Benin City. The tribunal will address petitions challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Senator Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
The tribunal’s secretary, Muazu Bagudu, announced this in a press statement on Tuesday in Benin City.
On September 22, 2024, INEC declared Senator Okpebholo the winner of the governorship election, citing that he secured 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rivals: Dr. Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 247,274 votes, and Barrister Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP), who garnered 22,763 votes. However, the outcome has been met with widespread scepticism and dissatisfaction.
Several political parties, including the PDP, have raised serious concerns about the transparency and credibility of the election process. Alleging significant irregularities and non-compliance with electoral laws, these parties have filed petitions seeking to overturn INEC’s decision.
The three-member tribunal, chaired by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, will hear seven petitions from various political parties and their candidates. The PDP’s petition stands out prominently, with the party demanding that the tribunal nullify the election results and declare its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the rightful winner.
In Suit No. EPT/ED/GOV/01/2024, the Accord Party and another petitioner have brought a case against INEC, Governor Monday Okpebholo, and the APC, challenging the legitimacy of the declared results.
Similarly, in Suit No. EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, the PDP and Dr. Ighodalo, as the first and second petitioners, are challenging the election’s outcome, alleging substantial non-compliance with electoral guidelines. They have listed INEC, Okpebholo, and the APC as respondents.
Other petitions include those by the Alliance Party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), the Action Democratic Party (ADP), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), all challenging INEC’s declaration of the APC’s candidate as the winner. These petitions cite irregularities such as vote manipulation, voter suppression, and a lack of transparency in the election process.
Notably, one week before the September 21 governorship election, the National Judicial Council inaugurated the tribunal in anticipation of post-election disputes, highlighting concerns about the poll’s integrity even before it was conducted.
Following the election, Dr. Ighodalo and the PDP filed an ex parte motion (Suit No. ED/GOV/01M/2024) on September 27, 2024, seeking permission to inspect all electoral materials used during the poll. The motion, submitted by their legal counsel, Rotimi Ogunso (SAN), alongside Seun Olusuyi, was promptly granted by Justice Kpochi.
The PDP and other opposition parties have alleged that INEC failed to conduct the election in accordance with established guidelines. They claim the process was marred by irregularities, including overvoting, disenfranchisement, and a lack of transparency in the collation of results.
Observers have also raised concerns about the unusually high number of rejected ballots and the controversial use of BVAS technology, which some argue was deliberately compromised to favor the APC.
As the tribunal begins its proceedings, the credibility of the 2024 Edo State governorship election hangs in the balance. Many citizens and political stakeholders are closely watching, hoping for a judgment that will uphold electoral integrity and justice.
Truth Live News International will continue to provide updates on this developing story.