Edo State deputy governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, has dismissed the petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on alleged over-voting in the 2023 governorship election in the State.
Speaking after the Tribunal session in Benin City on Monday, Idahosa criticised the PDP for filing the petition without verifying the facts. He stated that results from areas affected by over-voting were already cancelled, making the opposition’s claims baseless.
“In Unit 4, Ward 7, Usen, the results were cancelled due to over-voting, as required by law. Yet, PDP petitioned against these results without knowing they were never included in the final tally,” he explained.
He pointed out that the All Progressives Congress (APC) witness confirmed in court that cancelled results were not computed. “Why would PDP challenge results that do not exist? It shows they do not understand the process,” Idahosa said.
According to him, the Electoral Act 2020 (as amended) clearly states that over-voting leads to automatic result cancellation, eliminating the need for further disputes.
“The onus is on PDP to prove their case, but their witnesses have contradicted themselves in court. Our legal team may not even need to call any witness,” he added.
Idahosa accused PDP of treating the Tribunal like a media campaign, rather than focusing on legal facts. He maintained that the party’s case lacked merit and expressed confidence in the judiciary to uphold the law.
