UPDATED: Edo governorship election tribunal throws out AA’s petition

In its first judgement on Wednesday, the tribunal held that the case instituted by the AA ”lacked merit and was frivolous”.

The Edo State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, threw out the petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) and Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, challenging the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo.

In its first judgement on Wednesday, the tribunal held that the case instituted by the AA ”lacked merit and was frivolous”.

The three-member tribunal led by Wilfred Kpochi held the petition filed by AA and Mr Omoaje were frivolous and lacked merit.

It added that Mr Omoaje, who filed the joint petition with the party joined as a co-petitioner, had no locus standi (legal right) to institute the case.

The tribunal further held that Mr Omoaje did not participate in the governorship election and as such had no power to question the validity of the election.

It ruled that Mr Omoaje’s grouse against the election was that he was not recognised as the National Chairman of the Action Alliance for the purpose of nominating candidate for the poll.

It, however, said that his claims had no basis in the Electoral Act 2022.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Omoaje and the AA went before the tribunal asking it to rule that the declaration of Governor Monday Okpebholo and his All Progressives Congress (APC) as winners of the 21 September 2024 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was illegal, unlawful, unconditional and null and void.

Mr Omoaje also alleged that the election was characterised by gross corruption and also thatMr Okpebholo and APC did not win majority of lawful votes cast in the election.

He further alleged that AA was not allowed to nominate a lawful governorship candidate for the election since he did not sign the nomination form as the National Chairman of the party.

Speaking with journalists after the judgement, the petitioners’ lawyer, Adewale Adebayo, said he was not satisfied with the verdict.

He, however, said he would communicate the decision to his clients and await further instructions.

NAN reports that INEC had declared Mr Okpebholo of the APC as the winner with 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 247,655 votes in the election.

AA’s petition is not the only one brought before the tribunal.

Many within and outside Edo State are looking forward to the much anticipated judgement on the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo – frontline contenders – in the 21 September 2024 governorship election.

(NAN)