The Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, has dismissed the petition filed by the Accord Party (AP) seeking to nullify the September 21, 2024, governorship election in the state. The tribunal ruled that the petition failed to meet the legal standards set by the Electoral Act.
Presiding over the three-member panel, Justice Wilfred Kpochi held that the AP and its candidate, Dr. Bright Enabulele, failed to provide sufficient evidence to back their claims of electoral malpractice, including allegations of thuggery, ballot stuffing, and voter intimidation.
The AP had challenged the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who secured 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 247,655 votes. The petitioners alleged widespread corruption and claimed that Okpebholo and the APC did not win a majority of lawful votes.
In a similar ruling, the tribunal also dismissed a petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) and one Adekunle Rufai Omoaje against Governor Okpebholo and the APC. Justice Kpochi ruled that Omoaje lacked the legal standing to challenge the election since he did not participate in it.
The tribunal further noted that Omoaje’s primary grievance was his non-recognition as the national chairman of the AA, which he claimed denied him the power to nominate a candidate for the election. However, the court held that his claims had no basis under the Electoral Act 2022.
With these rulings, the tribunal has affirmed the legitimacy of Governor Okpebholo’s victory in the Edo governorship election.
