The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has scheduled Wednesday, April 2, 2025, to deliver its judgment on the legal challenge surrounding the September 2024 governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election, defeating Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP). However, the PDP and its candidate contested the results, filing a petition against Okpebholo’s victory.
The petitioners alleged widespread electoral irregularities, including over-voting, lack of ballot serialization, errors in collation, and miscalculations in the final results. They argued that these discrepancies affected the outcome of the election and sought to have the results overturned.
During the tribunal hearings, the PDP and Ighodalo presented 19 witnesses to support their claims. One of the key testimonies came from a Senior Technical Officer from INEC’s ICT department, who submitted 154 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines as evidence. The petitioners claimed this evidence proved instances of over-voting, a critical part of their challenge.
In response, INEC did not call any witnesses to counter the claims made by the petitioners. Okpebholo, on his part, presented one witness, while the APC called four witnesses before concluding their defense. Despite the PDP’s allegations, the respondents maintained that the election was conducted fairly and in compliance with electoral guidelines.
The tribunal case, marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, has been closely watched, as the outcome could have significant implications for the political landscape of Edo State. The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, had previously informed the parties that the date for judgment would be communicated later.
Following weeks of legal proceedings and deliberations, the tribunal has now set April 2, 2025, as the date for delivering its judgment. Political observers and stakeholders across the state are awaiting the verdict, which could either uphold Okpebholo’s election or lead to a possible annulment and fresh elections.
The ruling will be a crucial test of the electoral process and the judiciary’s handling of election-related disputes. With both sides expressing confidence in their cases, the tribunal’s decision is expected to have a significant impact on Edo State’s political future.
