The Edo State governorship tribunal has affirmed Monday Okpebholo, as the duly elected governor of the State.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, a three-member panel of the tribunal led by Wilfred Kpochi, held that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, failed to prove the allegations against the respondents.
The tribunal held that “no competent witnesses were called” to prove the averments in their petition.
The tribunal held that “no competent witnesses were called” to prove the allegations in their petition.
The tribunal also held that “non-compliance to electoral laws must be proved convincingly.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Okpebholo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as winner of the election held in September 2024 with 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 247,274 votes.
Ighodalo and PDP had approached the tribunal to challenge the outcome claiming that the governorship election was invalid because of alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
A wild jubilation broke out at the venue of the ruling with APC supporters chanting victory songs.
