The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday, closed its case in defense of the victory of Gov. Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo without calling a single witness.
INEC had, on Wednesday tendered documents relating to the election with a promise to call five of its witnesses in defense of its declaration of Monday Okpebholo of the APC as winner of the September 21, governorship election in Edo State.
However, when the matter was called on Thursday, INEC through its lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, informed the three-member Tribunal that it had reviewed the case and thought it sensible to close its defense.
He claimed that the 1st respondent did justice to the case during the cross examination of witnesses of the petitioners.
Responding, Mr Adetunji Oyeyipo, SAN, who represented the petitioners, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo), said he was not surprised by INEC’s action and as such, would not be objecting to the closure of the case without calling witnesses as earlier promised.
Lawyers to Governor Okpebholo and APC did not also object to the closure of the 1st respondent’s case and the Chairman of the Panel, Justice Wilfred Kpochi held, in a short ruling that, “the request is granted and the 1st respondent’s case is hereby closed”.
Meanwhile, 2nd respondent’s (Monday Okpebholo) lawyer, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN prayed the court for a date in the coming week to enable him open his own defense, because he never envisaged that the 1st respondent would close its case on Thursday.
Reacting to the request, petitioners’ Counsel pointed out that adjourning the matter till Monday next week would be too long and urged the Tribunal to adjourn to Saturday, for the opening of the defense of the 2nd respondent.
However, INEC and APC did not oppose to the adjournment of the matter till Monday next week and the Tribunal subsequently fixed Monday February 10, for the governor to open his defense.
The Tribunal had, on Wednesday adjourned till Thursday to enable INEC called its witnesses in defense of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, INEC had tendered documents which include; Certified True Copies of the Collation of result at the State level (Form EC8D), the declaration of results and the regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections, 2022.
Abdullahi Aliyu, SAN, who tendered the documents informed the Tribunal that five of its witnesses were held up on their trip from Benin City and as such would be asking for a short adjournment, adding that the 1st respondent would use just one day to conclude its case.
However, at Thursday’s sitting, INEC announced that it would be closing its case and would not be calling any witnesses.
PDP and Ighodalo had in October dragged INEC to the election petition Tribunal for declaring Monday Okpebholo of the APC as winner of the Edo State governorship election.
According to INEC, Okpebholo secured a total of 291, 667 votes to emerge winner of the election, while Ighodalo came second with a total of 247, 655 votes.
The petitioners disagreed with INEC, alleging over-voting and wrong computation of results at the collation centers and also contended that the governorship election was invalid by reason of alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, among other things.
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