The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, has dismissed the petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) seeking to annul the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo. The petition was dismissed on Wednesday, with the three-member panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, ruling that it lacked merit.
The tribunal held that the case, filed by the AA and its National Chairman, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, was based on pre-election issues, over which the tribunal had no jurisdiction. The petitioners had argued that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) unlawfully excluded their legitimate candidate from the September 21, 2024, governorship election. They claimed that INEC had accepted and recognized a candidate who had not been validly nominated by the AA, contrary to various court judgments.
Additionally, the petitioners contended that INEC’s failure to publish the name of the rightful candidate for the gubernatorial election violated the provisions of section 134(1)(b) of the Electoral Act, which they argued was a substantial non-compliance with the electoral process.
Beyond this, the petitioners further alleged that Governor Okpebholo, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), did not secure the majority of lawful votes cast in the election, claiming that the election was tainted by corrupt practices. As a result, they sought the nullification of the election, a request that was ultimately rejected by the tribunal.
The tribunal also upheld all preliminary objections raised by the respondents, including INEC and Governor Okpebholo. The respondents argued that Omoaje, the National Chairman of the AA, did not have the legal standing to file the petition, as he had not participated in the election. They further argued that the petition was statute-barred, as it focused on pre-election matters beyond the tribunal’s jurisdiction.
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It is worth noting that AA’s candidate, Mr. Tom Iseghhi-Okojie, had stepped down for Governor Okpebholo just days before the election.
The ruling marks a significant moment in the post-election legal battles in Edo State, with the tribunal firmly rejecting the petition on jurisdictional grounds.
