Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
Benin City, Edo State – High drama unfolded at the Edo State Governorship Election Tribunal today as the panel ruled in favor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), allowing its witnesses to identify BVAS machines tendered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Truth Live News gathered that the decisive decision dealt a significant blow to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Monday Okpebholo, who, alongside their legal team, had fiercely objected to the move.
From the moment court proceedings began, legal fireworks erupted. The APC and INEC lawyers, sensing the weight of the PDP’s evidence, fought relentlessly to prevent the witnesses from linking the BVAS machines to specific polling units. Their argument? That such identifications would open a floodgate of electoral scrutiny they were desperate to avoid.
But PDP’s legal team, led by [insert lawyer’s name if available], countered with precision. They argued that if INEC had presented the BVAS machines as official evidence, then the witnesses—who had firsthand experience at the polling units—had every right to verify them.
The tribunal agreed.
Gasps rippled through the courtroom as the judge delivered the ruling. The decision meant that the crucial BVAS evidence had survived yet another legal hurdle—a devastating setback for the APC’s case.
As the ruling sank in, the tension in the courtroom reached a boiling point. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, a key APC chieftain and former Edo State governor, visibly seethed with frustration. Unable to contain his anger, he stormed out of the courtroom in a move that sent shockwaves through onlookers.
“This is injustice!” an APC supporter was heard muttering under his breath as Oshiomhole made his swift exit.
Away from the courtroom, the stakes turned even deadlier. Two PDP witnesses from Etsako East and Akoko-Edo who had testified earlier in the day began receiving ominous calls—veiled threats allegedly from APC members in their wards. The intimidation tactics suggested a growing desperation from opposition forces, desperate to silence voices that could unravel their electoral defense.
“Our team on the ground is working hard to fish them out,” a PDP insider disclosed, hinting at possible legal action against those issuing the threats.
What’s Next?
With BVAS identification now part of the tribunal records, PDP’s case inches closer to a decisive moment. Will the APC mount a counteroffensive, or is this the beginning of an irreversible unraveling?
Court proceedings continue, but one thing is clear: the battle for Edo’s governorship is far from over—and the stakes have never been higher.