The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to begin its defence at the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal as it prepares to present five witnesses to justify the declaration of Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, INEC’s legal counsel, Mr. Abdullahi Aliyu (SAN), informed the tribunal that the commission had assembled key witnesses to testify in support of its stance. However, Aliyu requested an adjournment until Thursday (today) to allow time for the witnesses—who were traveling from Benin, Edo State—to arrive and be available for their testimonies.
The tribunal had initially scheduled Wednesday for INEC to commence its defence following the conclusion of the petitioners’ case on Monday. The petitioners, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, are contesting Okpebholo’s victory, citing widespread electoral irregularities.
Petitioners’ Allegations and Legal Arguments
INEC had declared Okpebholo as the governor-elect after he secured 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Ighodalo, who polled 247,655 votes. However, the PDP and Ighodalo argue that the election was fraught with non-compliance with the Electoral Act. Their claims include alleged cases of overvoting, improper collation of results, and the input of incorrect figures at various collation centres.
During their presentation, the petitioners brought forward multiple witnesses and documentary evidence to support their claims. Some of these witnesses testified that due to alleged discrepancies in the electoral process, they refused to sign result sheets at their respective polling units and wards. The tribunal has been reviewing these allegations as part of the ongoing legal proceedings.
INEC’s Defence Strategy and Submission of Evidence
At Wednesday’s session, INEC took a significant step in its defence by submitting key electoral documents as evidence before the three-member tribunal, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi. These documents include:
- Certified True Copy of the Form EC8D result,
- A certified document containing the declaration of the election results,
- A copy of INEC’s regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections.
Despite the ongoing dispute, neither the petitioners nor the other respondents, including Okpebholo and the APC, objected to the documents’ admission. The tribunal subsequently marked them as Exhibits R-1, R-2, and R-3.
Next Steps in the Tribunal’s Proceedings
With INEC prepared to call its witnesses, the tribunal is set to enter a crucial phase where testimonies will be scrutinized, and further evidence will be presented. The hearing continues as the legal battle over the Edo governorship election unfolds, with both parties seeking to establish their claims before the tribunal reaches a verdict.
As the proceedings progress, political analysts and stakeholders closely monitor the case, which could have far-reaching implications for electoral transparency and governance in Edo State and beyond. The tribunal’s final decision will be critical in determining whether Okpebholo’s victory stands or if the election results will be overturned or re-examined.
