The Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, dismissed a case filed by the Action Alliance (AA) against the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo as governor.
Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member panel of Justices held that the petition filed by AA alongside its National Chairman, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, lacked merit.
The Tribunal determined that the petition dealt with pre-election matters and, therefore, it did not have the necessary authority to address matters raised.
The petitioners claimed, among other allegations, that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had unlawfully excluded their legitimate candidate from the governorship election that took place on September 21, 2024.
They alleged that contrary to various court judgements, the electoral body accepted and recognised a candidate that the party did not validly nominate for the exercise.
According to the petitioners, INEC’s failure to publish the name of the rightful candidate of the party for the gubernatorial contest amounted to a substantial non-compliance to provisions of section 134(1) (b) of the Electoral Act.
In addition to the argument that Governor Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) failed to obtain the majority of valid votes during the election, the petitioners claimed that corrupt practices tainted the process.
As a result, they sought to have the election annulled, a request that the panel denied on Wednesday.
The panel upheld all the preliminary objections that were lodged against the petition.
All the respondents, including INEC and Governor Okpebholo, had challenged the petition’s competence, stressing that the National Chairman of the AA was bereft of the locus standi to institute the action since he did not participate in the governorship poll.
They equally maintained that the petition was statute-barred as it contained pre-election matters that were beyond the jurisdiction of the Tribunal.
LEADERSHIP recalls that AA’s candidate, Mr Tom Iseghhi-Okojie, stepped down for Governor Okpebholo a few days before the governorship election in 2024.
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