NASS: Labour Party floors APC, PDP at Edo Tribunal

The National/State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Benin has affirmed Hon Omoruyi Murphy Osaro of the Labour Party (LP) as the winner of the February 25, Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency election in Edo

The Court dismissed the two separate petitions filed by Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okhuarobo Henry Osuede of the PDP and Hon Crosby Osadolor Eribo of the APC, challenging the qualification of Osaro and the outcome of the National Assembly poll.

In a unanimous Judgement by the three-member panel of the tribunal, led by Justice O. A.  Chijioke, the court dismissed the petitions marked EPT/ED/HR/06/ 2023 and EPT/ED/HR/08/2023 for lack of merits

The tribunal held that the two petitioners could not prove a case of non-compliance with the electoral act, corrupt practices, and non-qualification allegations against the Labour Party candidate in the election.

Delivering the unanimous judgement, Justice O.A. Chijioke, who read the two judgement, held that the Petitioners failed to prove their case and thereby dismissed the petition for lack of merit.

“We hold that the petitioners failed to prove any of the grounds raised in the petitions, and the petitions are hereby dismissed for lack of merits”, the tribunal ruled

The Petitioners, Osamuede and Eribo, through their separate petitions, had approached the tribunal to challenge the election of Osaro on the grounds that he (Osaro) was not qualified to contest the election

The petitioners also claimed non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022, as amended in the conduct of the election, Osaro’s dual nationality, as well as the Labour Party not having a candidate in the said election.

However, Justice Chijioke led election panel II to resolve all the grounds against Okhuarobo and Eribo and averred that the petitioners merely dumped documents on the tribunal without any probative value.

Eribo particularly accused the labour party candidate of being a citizen of the United States of America and thereby negated the proviso section 77 of the Electoral Act, 2022, as amended, as well as Section 66 of the constitution of Nigeria.

He also contended that the Labour Party did not validly nominate Osaro for the election, which Eribo consequently maintained that by inference,  LP had no candidate in the election.

READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE 

• I saved Nigeria from corruption — Buhari

• Headies 2023: Asake wins next rated award ahead of Seyi vibes, Young John, others

• VIDEO: Untold story of out-of-school kids in Ibadan

• DSS uncovers alleged plot by politicians to stage violent protests nationwide

• Gabon coup leader, Oligui, sworn in as interim president

• Tinubu departs for India on Monday to attend G20 summit

• EDITORIAL: Ambrose Alli varsity’s magical graduates

—