The Supreme Courtroom has held again its last determination on the attraction filed by Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, difficult the result of the September 2024 Edo State governorship election.
The attraction, which targets the victory of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Monday Okpebholo, was heard on Wednesday, July 2, by a five-member panel led by Justice Garba Lawal.
Ighodalo’s authorized crew, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Ken Mozia, requested the courtroom to reverse the judgments of the tribunal and the Courtroom of Appeal, each of which upheld Okpebholo’s win as declared by the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC).
On Could 29, 2025, the Courtroom of Appeal in Abuja had affirmed the sooner ruling of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which dismissed Ighodalo’s petition.
The tribunal, in its April 2 ruling, held that Ighodalo and the PDP did not show their allegations of over-voting and irregularities.
“We maintain that the failure by the petitioners to name polling unit brokers, presiding officers or different registered voters was deadly to the case,” Justice Wilfred Kpochi, who chaired the tribunal, dominated.
“It nonetheless stays the regulation that paperwork don’t communicate for themselves. A petitioner should show their proof. The allegation of non-compliance should be proved,” he added.
On the problem of BVAS machines offered as proof, Justice Kpochi famous, “The BVAS machines had been clearly dumped and stay dormant.
“ Not one of the witnesses might communicate to the BVAS machine. The machines weren’t demonstrated to show the allegations of over-voting.”
The PDP and Ighodalo had alleged widespread electoral malpractice, claiming the outcomes from 765 polling items had been manipulated and that poll papers weren’t correctly serialised.
READ ALSO: Edo Election Tribunal to Ship Verdict on PDP’s Petition Towards Okpebholo’s Victory
In addition they argued that INEC did not report delicate election supplies as required by regulation.
Regardless of calling 19 witnesses and producing 154 BVAS machines from 133 polling items, the tribunal dominated their proof fell brief.
“All of the proof paperwork tendered by the petitioners to show over-voting fall wanting the necessities,” Kpochi mentioned. “The regulation requires that the petitioners shall name witnesses to hyperlink the proof rendered.”
INEC didn’t current any witnesses within the case. Okpebholo’s aspect referred to as one witness, whereas the APC offered 4.
Within the official consequence introduced by INEC, Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes. Ighodalo got here second with 247,655.
Throughout Wednesday’s listening to, INEC’s counsel, Kanu Agabi, requested the courtroom to dismiss the attraction, arguing that the PDP had contradicted itself.
“The petitioners described the election as unlawful and couldn’t then ask to be declared winners of the identical election,” Agabi instructed the courtroom.
Attorneys for each Okpebholo and the APC, Onyechi Ikpeazu and Emmanuel Okala, additionally urged the Supreme Courtroom to uphold the rulings of the decrease courts.
After listening to all sides, Justice Garba Lawal mentioned the courtroom would talk the date of judgment in the end.
