The legal battle over the Edo State governorship election officially begins today as the tribunal starts hearings on the petitions challenging the election outcome.
The September 21 poll, which declared Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner, is now under judicial scrutiny following strong objections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced Okpebholo’s victory with 291,667 votes. Dr. Ighodalo, the PDP candidate, secured 247,274 votes, while the Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata trailed with 22,763 votes.
Despite this, the PDP alleged widespread irregularities, accusing the APC of manipulating the process. They have filed a petition seeking to overturn the results and declare Ighodalo the winner.
Ahead of today’s pre-hearing session, PDP Caretaker Chairman Tony Aziegbemi stressed the importance of fairness.
“That is what we expected the tribunal to do. Our lawyers will be there to show clearly that the election was stolen by the All Progressives Congress. For us as a party, we believe that the judiciary will look at the evidence that we have overwhelmingly to show that the election was stolen and we expect our lawyers to do justice to that.
“We expect the judiciary to look at the case dispassionately based on the evidence before them and take a decision that will have traces of justice,” he said.
In response, APC’s Publicity Secretary, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, expressed confidence in his party’s legal defense.
He said: “We are prepared for the tribunal as we are respondent in the petition being filed. We have some of best hand in our legal team. We have also looked at the petition they filed and without prejudice to the case they filed, we want to say that we are ready to meet them in court.”
He added: “We are also ready to expose any PDP’s act that can be prejudicial to the case. We know that the calibre of those who have been appointed into the tribunal are people who are impenetrable and have proven integrity.”
Uwadiae-Igbinigie further stated: “We know the case they have filed against us and we have also filed our responses. Edo people will now know that the PDP has lost electoral value in the state while the APC government is ready to embark on programmes that will better the lot of Edo people.”
The tribunal, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, is set to hear seven petitions, including those from other parties like the Accord Party and Social Democratic Party.
