The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja on Wednesday upheld the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo, dismissing the petition filed by the Accord Party (AP) and its gubernatorial candidate.
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The three-member panel, chaired by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, unanimously ruled that the petitioners failed to provide sufficient evidence to back their allegations of corrupt practices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act during the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
The petitioners had claimed that there were widespread instances of rigging and electoral irregularities, but the tribunal found these accusations to be “general and sweeping,” lacking specific details regarding the polling units or wards where the alleged violations took place. The panel also criticized certain aspects of the petition as “vague” and unsubstantiated.
Following the dismissal of the petition, it was noted that the AP, which garnered only 252 votes, was far behind Governor Okpebholo’s 291,667 votes, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate securing 247,655 votes. The tribunal had previously rejected a similar petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA).
With the AP’s petition now dismissed, the tribunal will turn its attention to the joint petition filed by the PDP and its candidate, Asuerinme Ighodalo, who are seeking to be declared the rightful winners of the disputed election.
