Ismail Abdulazeez Mantu Reporting
The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, on Friday, January 17, 2025, took a decisive step in the legal battle surrounding the September 21, 2024, governorship election by admitting all documentary evidence presented by Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.
Ighodalo is challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the winner.
During the resumed hearing of the petition marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, the tribunal admitted a total of 1,004 pieces of documentary evidence, despite objections from the counsels representing INEC, Senator Okpebholo, and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The evidence admitted includes Certified True Copies (CTCs) of INEC’s declaration of results, forms EC8A-E, and local government area summaries used in the governorship election. The documents were tendered by the petitioners’ lead counsel, Ken Mozia (SAN), who emphasized that the verification process had been duly conducted in the presence of all parties’ legal representatives and the court registrar.
However, counsels for the respondents, Kanu Agabi (SAN), Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), and VC Dewigwe, raised objections to the admissibility of the documents. Despite their opposition, the tribunal admitted the evidence, allowing the petitioners to advance to the next phase of the proceedings.
With the documentary evidence now on record, Dr. Ighodalo and the PDP are set to present oral arguments to strengthen their case against INEC’s declaration of Senator Okpebholo as governor. This development marks a significant milestone in the high-stakes legal contest, intensifying anticipation of the tribunal’s final ruling.
The case continues to draw widespread attention as Edo State residents await the tribunal’s judgment on the electoral dispute.