Ighodalo, PDP Open Case Against Gov Okpebholo

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2024 Edo State governorship election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, has opened his case with the tendering of documents used in the election in support of his petition.

Ighodalo alongside his party, the PDP, in a petition marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, are contesting INEC’s declaration of Monday Okpebholo as winner of the election.

The PDP candidate claimed that the election was marred by widespread irregularities culminating to the electoral umpire declaring the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the poll.
Ighodalo averred that he scored the highest valid votes cast and wondered why INEC would declare Okpebholo winner despite non compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 as amended.

At the resumption of hearing yesterday, the lead counsel to the petitioners, Adetunji Oyeyipo (SAN), tendered from the bar the Certified True Copy (CTC) of Form EC8E (INEC final declaration result sheet of the poll) in support of the petitioners’ cases.

Kenneth Mozia, who conducted the presentations at the instance of Oyeyipo, also tendered CTC of Form EC8D, (Summary of results from Local Government Areas Collation at the state Level).

Documents also tendered before the tribunal by counsel to the petitioners are Certified True Copies of Form EC8Cs, covering the 18 Local Government Areas in the state.

Again, CTC of Forms EC8B (Wards Results Sheets) used for the conduct of the election in the 192 Wards in the state were also tendered by Mozia, all in support of the petitioners cases.

The petitioners further tendered in evidence 320 Certified True Copies of Form EC8A documents (polling Units results sheets),

While presenting before the court 318 CTCs of INEC’s Polling Units Booklets, each containing Form EC25D, Mozia, again, tendered in court 58 CTCs of Form EC8A (IREV).

However, lead counsel to INEC, Governor Monday Okpebholo and APC (1st to 3rd respondents), Kanu Agabi, SAN, Onyeachi Ikpeazu, SAN, and D.C. Denwigwe, SAN, who held the brief of Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, objected to the admissibility of the documents

The respondents counsel told the court that they would be abducing reasons for their objections to the petitioners’ CTC documents at the final address stage of the petition.

Justice Wilfred Kpochi led Tribunal in response provisionally admitted all the documents tendered in evidence and marked same as exhibits.

“Learned counsel to the respondents shall state their reasons for their objections at the address stage”, Justice Kpochi held.

Hearing on the petition continues today, Saturday, December 18, 2024 as the petitioners are expected to tender more documents in support of their petitions.