LG elections: Edo Tribunal dismisses LP’s appeals

The Edo State Local Government Election Appeal Tribunal has struck out all the appeals brought before it by candidates of the Edo State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 local government election conducted in September 2023 by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC).

Delivering the judgment, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Emmanuel Ahamioje with the concurrence of the other two members of the panel, Justices Mary Asemota and Aifuwa Imoukhuede, dismissed the appeals for lack of merit.

Justice Ahamioje thereafter called on the State House of Assembly to review and harmonize certain provisions of the EDSIEC Act to be in tandem with federal law.

He also called for applicable sections of EDSIEC Act in respect of the conduct of local government elections to be streamlined so as not to have varying applicability from two different laws for the same electoral procedure in local polls.

Speaking to journalists on the matter, the Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, who also doubles as counsel for EDSIEC, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, agreed with the submissions made by the judge.

On the recommendation for review of the EDSIEC law, Osaze-Uzzi said it would create a template for future appeal processes to be done properly.

“It is an advisory that the House of Assembly should look into by amending the law for the grounds upon which petitions can be presented and be in sync with the Electoral Act of 2022, which is also undergoing review. We can get a good electoral Act at the federal level and then Edo state can also fashion its law to make us have better elections.”

Twelve appeals were initially filed but that of Ovia North East was withdrawn leaving the appeals tribunal to rule on the remaining 11, all of which were struck out for lacking in merit.