Edo Governorship Election Tribunal Upholds Monday Okpebholo’s Victory, Dismisses PDP’s Petition

Tribunal Rules PDP’s Claims Lack Merit, Affirms APC’s Win in Edo State

The Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, has upheld the election of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the duly elected Governor of Edo State. The three-member panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, ruling that their claims lacked sufficient evidence.

Governor of Edo State Senator Monday Okpebholo

Why the Tribunal Dismissed PDP’s Petition

The PDP and Ighodalo had challenged the outcome of the September 21, 2024 election, alleging non-compliance with the Electoral Act, overvoting, and irregularities in the results. However, the Tribunal ruled that the petitioners failed to provide credible evidence to support their claims.

🔹 Lack of Competent Witnesses: The panel stated that the PDP’s failure to present key witnesses—such as polling unit officers, presiding officers, or voters—weakened their case.

🔹 Reliance on Hearsay Evidence: Out of the 19 witnesses called by the PDP, most provided hearsay testimony, which the Tribunal deemed insufficient to challenge the election results.

🔹 BVAS Data Not Properly Presented: The Tribunal ruled that while the PDP submitted BVAS machines as evidence, they failed to provide an official analysis of the data contained in the devices. According to the judgment, it is not the duty of the Tribunal to scrutinize documents or extract data from BVAS machines.

🔹 Failure to Prove Overvoting: The Tribunal reiterated that to prove overvoting, the PDP needed to tender the voters’ register, BVAS records, and Forms EC8A (polling unit results). Their failure to do so led to the dismissal of the claim.

INEC’s Results Stand: Okpebholo Confirmed as Winner

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Monday Okpebholo of the APC the winner, securing 291,667 votes, while Asue Ighodalo of the PDP polled 247,655 votes. PDP had contested the results from 765 polling units out of the 4,519 polling units in Edo State, but their petition has now been struck out for lack of merit.

Edo Governorship Election Tribunal Upholds Monday Okpebholo’s Victory
photo credit: m_akpakomiza

What This Ruling Means for Edo State

With this decisive ruling, Senator Monday Okpebholo’s victory is legally affirmed, setting the stage for his administration to focus on governance without legal distractions. The decision also reinforces the importance of credible evidence in election petitions, signaling that courts will not overturn election results without solid proof of irregularities.

While the PDP may choose to appeal the ruling, this Tribunal judgment marks a significant win for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Okpebholo, ensuring political stability in Edo State as he begins his tenure.

Written by Boom RadioNG