Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja, has upheld the victory of Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC as duly elected Governor in the September 21 off-season election.
The three-member panel led by Justice Wilfred Kpichi dismissed all the petitions instituted by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo for lack of merit.
The Tribunal in a unanimous judgement held that the petitioners failed to prove their case of over-voting in 320 polling units across the 18 LGAs of the state where election held.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had declared Okpebholo of APC as winner of election after scoring the majority of votes cast at the polls.
Dissatisfied, PDP and its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo approached the Tribunal seeking to nullfiy the election on grounds of non-compliance with the electoral laws as well as over-voting.
However, delivering judgement on Wednesday in the petition, the three-member Tribunal held that the petitioners failed to prove their claim of non-compliance.
Justice Kpochi who delivered the lead judgement observed that the claims of non-compliance was not proven because relevant witnesses were not called to give evidence.
In proving its claim of alleged over-voting, PDP and Ighodalo had called 19 witnesses including; collation agents and a research expert and tendered polling units results, collation results, BVAS and other sensitive materials.
Justice Kpochi subsequently dismissed the claim of alleged non-compliance and over-voting made by the petitioners on grounds that they failed to prove the allegations.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
