The Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal will be in session in Benin City from Monday to deal with petitions challenging the victory of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Monday Okpeboro in the September 21, 2024 governorship election.
The president of the court, Mouath Bagudu, confirmed the development on Tuesday, noting that preliminary hearings will begin on seven petitions filed by political parties and candidates dissatisfied with the election results.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on September 22 declared Mr Okpebolo the winner of the gubernatorial election, with him receiving 291,667 votes, ahead of his closest rival, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He announced that he had defeated Asue Ighodalo and Olumide Akpata of the Labor Party. , received 247,274 and 22,763 votes, respectively.
However, the PDP, along with six other political parties, filed a petition in court to challenge the results. In particular, the PDP is seeking to annul the election results and asking the court to declare its candidate Asue Ighodalo the rightful winner.
In case number EPT/ED/GOV/01/2024, the Accord Party and another petitioner also dragged INEC, Okpeboro and APC to court. Similarly, in suit number EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, PDP and Ighodaro approached the court as first and second petitioners challenging INEC’s declaration of Okpeboro as the winner.
A three-member tribunal headed by Justice Wilfred Kpochi will oversee the proceedings and decide on the merits of the various petitions.
The other petitioners are: Alliance Party, Adekunle Rufia Omo-Aje Vs. INEC, Monday Okpeboro and APC, Case No. EPT/ED/GOV/03/2024; Mr. Anelua Abdullahi Aliu and Social Democratic Party vs. EPT/ED/ INEC, Okpebholo and APC on GOV/04/2024.
Ugiagbe Osaro Sylvester and the Allied People’s Movement vs. INEC, Okpeboro and APC, EPT/ED/GOV/ 05/2024;Akimy Kingson Fear and Action Democratic Party vs. INEC, Okpeboro and APC, EPT/ED/GOV/06/ 2024, Akalamuhe Amimenogena, Zenith Labor Party vs. INEC, Okpebholo and APC Case No. EPT/ED/GOV/ 07/2024.
Recall that a week before the September 21 gubernatorial election in Edo State, the National Judicial Council initiated the Election Petition Tribunal.
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