Mr Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 19 September governorship election in Edo, has said he will challenge the tribunal’s judgment at the Court of Appeal.
BRANDECONOMY reports that the Edo election tribunal, sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, reaffirmed Gov. Monday Okpebholo’s victory and dismissed the petitions from the PDP and Ighodalo.
Ighodalo, in a statement in Benin, said his decision to challenge the judgment aimed to protect Edo people’s collective rights and ensure they freely determine their future.
“Today, the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal delivered its judgment on our petition challenging the outcome of the Sept. 21, 2024 election in our dear state.
“While we may not all agree with the verdict, we remain steadfast in our belief that the rule of law must continue as democracy’s foundational bedrock.
“Our pursuit of justice affirms our firm belief that Edo people’s right to freely choose their leaders through credible, free, and fair elections must always prevail.
“As a committed democrat, I respect the judiciary as the last hope of the common man and urge all Edo people to remain peaceful, calm, and law-abiding,” he stated.
Ighodalo said this was not the end of their journey but the beginning of a greater struggle for justice, democracy, and the sanctity of the people’s mandate.
He commended the people for their massive support, sincere love, and belief in their shared vision for a prosperous Edo, which had fuelled their journey.
“For us, this has never been about personal ambition but about our conviction to create a clear ‘Pathway to Prosperity’ for Edo while upholding democracy’s core values.
“I have, therefore, instructed my legal team to proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge this decision, which we consider a serious miscarriage of justice.
“This is not about me or any single individual; it is about democracy’s essence, our collective right to determine our future, and our legacy for generations unborn.
“We remain resolute. We remain committed. We shall not waver in our pursuit of truth and justice,” Ighodalo said.
Edo PDP reacts
The Edo Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the judgment of the election petition tribunal.
In a statement in Benin Dr Tony Aziegbemi, Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee, said that its candidate, was duly elected by the majority of the voters in the Sept. 21,2024 governorship election
Aziegbemi said that the PDP was certain that it sufficiently proved its case before the tribunal.
“The Edo Election Petition Tribunal has delivered its ruling on our petition, challenging the result of the governorship election held Sept. 21, 2024.
“Although we hold the judiciary in the highest esteem as a political party and respect the judgment, we completely disagree with the decision of the tribunal.
“We believe, without any doubt, that our candidate, in the election, was duly elected by the majority of the voters in that election.
“We are also certain that we sufficiently proved our case before the tribunal.
“It is on the back of this conviction that we call on all our members to quickly rise up from the ashes of this temporary setback as we take our matter to the appellate courts.
“As firm believers in the rule of law and the ultimate superiority of right over wrong,
” We call on all our supporters to keep hope alive as we explore all available democratic means of enthroning the will of the people of Edo,” Aziegbemi said.
BRANDECONOMY reports that the three-member panel led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, passed its verdict in a unanimous judgement, stressing that the petitioners failed to prove its allegations of over voting and electoral non-compliance.
The tribunal held that it was the duty of a petitioner to prove its electoral malpractice allegations against INEC, and not the other way round.
On the petitioners’ allegations that the number of votes cast were greater than the number of registered voters in disputed polling units, the judge agreed with the defendants that the petitioners failed to present polling unit agents and presiding officers to prove it.
The judge said it was “clear to us that the documents tendered from the bar(by the petitioners) were dumped on the tribunal without any competent witness” to substantiate the claims of over-voting and electoral non-compliance.
“These witnesses( presented by the petitioners comprising Local Government agents and others) are total strangers,” the judge stressed.
“The failure of the petitioners (PDP and Ighodalo) in this case to call polling unit agents and registered voters is fatal to their case,” the judge said, highlighting that eyewitness accounts were required to prove electoral non-compliance.
The judge also faulted the PDP for dumping the BVAS machines before the tribunal without calling competent witnesses to turn them on and demonstrate its claims of overvoting.
Subsequently, the tribunal dismissed the petitioner’s petition” for failing to prove its case against the governor’s election.
