Edo Tribunal: PDP matter adjourned for pre-hearing conference

The Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-man 2024 Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal (EPT) on Wednesday commenced the full hearing of the seven petitions challenging the declaration of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the 2024 Edo State Governorship Election.

The EPT also adjourned the hearing of a petition filed by Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to January 17, 2024, to allow the parties involved to have a pre-hearing meeting with the Court Registry on Thursday regarding the presentation of documents by the petitioners.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it would be recalled, had declared Okpebholo the winner of the September 21, 2024, election, securing 291,667 votes against Ighodalo of the PDP, who polled 247,274 votes.

Unsatisfied with INEC’s declaration, the petitioners: Asue Ighodalo, PDP, Accord Party (AP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP)  dragged INEC, Okpebholo, and the APC before the tribunal to challenge the election’s conduct and outcome.

At the commencement of the hearing on Wednesday, the Accord Party’s candidate, Dr. Bright Enabulele, through his counsel J.A. Dagher, opened his case by presenting three witnesses in support of his petition.

Prosecution Witness 1 (PW1), Mr. Zakaria Wisdom Yahaya, adopted his witness statement and urged the court to rely on it to support the petitioners’ case.
In his sworn statement, Yahaya informed the court that the conduct of the poll in his Polling Unit 28, Ward 8, in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, where he served as the polling unit agent for his party, was marred by irregularities, including ballot stuffing.

Under cross-examination by counsel to the 1st to 3rd respondents (Governor Okpebholo, APC, and INEC), Onyeachi Ikpeazu, SAN, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, and Abdullahi Aliyu, SAN, respectively, PW1 confirmed that he also served as the ward agent for his party.

Another witness, Daisy Nwanchukwu, claimed to have served as a polling unit agent in Oredo Unit 9, Ward 3. When asked if INEC issued her an agent card to function during the election, she admitted that she did not receive one.

For 70-year-old PW3, Mrs. Victoria Ogbebor, her witness statement revealed that she acted as a unit agent in Unit 32 for her party in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area during the election.
When asked by Aliyu if she knew Dr. Bright Enabulele (the Accord Party candidate), she responded that she might recognize the name.

The case was adjourned to Thursday for the continuation of the hearing.

The tribunal also adjourned the hearing of the petition filed by Ighodalo and the PDP to January 17, 2024, to allow the parties to have a pre-hearing meeting with the Court Registry regarding the presentation of documents by the petitioners.

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During Wednesday’s session, Ken Mozia, SAN, who held the brief for the petitioners’ lead counsel, Adetunji Oyeyipo, SAN, informed the court that his clients were ready to tender documents used in the election, which had been meticulously arranged for a seamless process.
However, counsel for Governor Okpebholo, APC, and INEC , Onyeachi Ikpeazu, SAN, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, and Kanu Agabi, SAN opposed the submission, arguing that the documents must have been filed before the court to be admitted as exhibits.

Speaking to journalists after the court’s adjournment, Ighodalo expressed confidence in the judiciary’s ability to reclaim his mandate. He commended the people of Edo State for their overwhelming support during the governorship election.

“I want to use this opportunity to commend the people of Edo State for coming out en masse to vote for us on September 21, 2024, and for keeping faith with us. They have remained calm despite intimidation and harassment over the last three months.

“We strongly believe that the judiciary will do the right thing, and we look forward to the tribunal’s proceedings,” Ighodalo stated.