Tribunal upholds Okpebholo’s victory, dismisses petition in Edo election

DDM News

The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed a petition challenging Governor Monday Okpebholo’s election victory.

Diaspora digital media (DDM) gathered that the petition was filed by the Action Alliance (AA) and Adekunle Rufai Omoaje.

The Tribunal struck out the petition on Wednesday for lack of merit and frivolity.

In its ruling, the Tribunal determined that Omoaje had no legal standing to file the case.

His petition was not based on election-related matters, making it inadmissible.

The Tribunal noted that Omoaje did not participate in the September 21, 2024, governorship election.

Therefore, he had no basis to contest its outcome in court.

The Tribunal emphasized that Omoaje’s primary complaint was his lack of recognition as Action Alliance’s National Chairman.

This prevented him from nominating a candidate for the election.

The Tribunal ruled that this issue had no foundation under the Electoral Act 2022.

Omoaje urged the Tribunal to declare Okpebholo’s election invalid due to non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

He also alleged corruption in the electoral process and claimed APC failed to win the majority of valid votes.

Another key claim was that Action Alliance was denied the opportunity to lawfully nominate a governorship candidate.

Omoaje argued he was not acknowledged as the party’s leader to sign the nomination forms.

Despite these claims, the Tribunal dismissed the petition entirely due to a lack of substantive legal backing.

Background of the Edo Governorship Election

The Edo State governorship election was held on September 21, 2024.

The election was a significant political event that attracted widespread attention across the country.

Several political parties participated, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Labour Party (LP).

Governor Monday Okpebholo of the APC contested against key rivals, particularly Asue Ighodalo of the PDP.

Other candidates from smaller parties also participated in the election.

The campaigns were marked by intense debates on governance, economic policies, security, and development.

Both major candidates engaged in rallies, debates, and political outreach across Edo State.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted the election amid heightened security and voter awareness efforts.

INEC declared Okpebholo as the winner with 291,667 votes.

His closest opponent, Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, secured 247,655 votes.

The election results led to multiple petitions challenging its legitimacy.

Various opposition parties and candidates alleged irregularities, non-compliance with electoral guidelines, and voter suppression.

The petition by Omoaje and Action Alliance was among the first cases brought before the Tribunal.

With this ruling, Okpebholo and APC successfully defended their victory in one of the legal challenges.

Other petitions remain pending, and further legal battles are expected in court.

The post-election legal process continues, with stakeholders closely monitoring the outcomes of other challenges.

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