Edo: Tribunal Gives Judgment on Suit Seeking APC's Okpebholo's Sack as Governor

• The Edo governorship election petition tribunal has declared Governor Monday Okpebholo as the rightful winner of the September 21, 2024, governorship election in the state
• The tribunal dismissed the petition filed by the PDP and its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, for their 'failure to substantiate allegations of overvoting'
• The tribunal criticised how the petitioners presented their evidence concerning the allegations raised before it

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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics, elections, and governance.

Benin City, Edo state - The Edo governorship tribunal has affirmed Monday Okpebholo as the duly elected governor of the state in the election held on September 21, 2024.

Okpebholo is a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

At about 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, the Kpochi-led tribunal affirmed the governor’s victory in a unanimous judgment, stressing that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations of over-voting and non-compliance with the electoral law.

The PDP and Ighodalo had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Okpebholo, and the APC, alleging that the election was marred by irregularities.

The tribunal earlier, in separate judgments, dismissed the petitions filed by the Action Alliance and the Accord Party to challenge Okpebholo’s victory.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival in the election, Ighodalo of the PDP, who polled 247,655 votes.

Okpebholo and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa, were sworn in as the governor and deputy governor of Edo State, respectively, on November 12, 2024.

Edo: Monday Okpebholo reacts to tribunal victory

Meanwhile, Okpebholo reached out to his PDP counterpart, Ighodalo, shortly after the state tribunal affirmed him as the governor of the state, asking that they put their political differences aside.

Okpebholo said:

"The governor calls upon all citizens, including the opposition and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo, to join hands in the spirit of unity and work together for the progress of Edo state."

Ighodalo heads to Appeal Court

Reacting to the judgment, Ighodalo, through his team of lawyers, vowed to challenge it at the court of appeal.

Ighodalo rejected the judgment of the election petition tribunal.

The tribunal’s decision was met with strong opposition from Ighodalo and his supporters, who described it as a “huge travesty of justice.”

Wike congratulates Okpebholo on tribunal victory

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nyesom Wike, the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), congratulated Governor Okpebholo of Edo state over his victory at the state's election petition tribunal.

Wike expressed confidence in the ability of Okpebholo to deliver on his electioneering promises.