Edo Guber: Tribunal Rejects Second Petition Against Gov. Okpebholo

The Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has dismissed the second petition challenging the declaration of Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the 2024 gubernatorial election in Edo State.

The Tribunal, sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, rejected the petition filed by the Accord Party (A). In its judgment, the Tribunal ruled that the Accord Party and its gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Bright Enabulele, made unsubstantiated allegations of thuggery, ballot stuffing, voter harassment, and molestation but failed to provide evidence or identify any perpetrators of the alleged offenses.

The Tribunal noted inconsistencies in the petitioners’ claims, observing that while they alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act and sought the election to be nullified, they simultaneously requested to be declared winners of the same election they claimed had been conducted improperly.

In its final ruling, the Tribunal found that there was insufficient evidence to invalidate the election of Governor Okpebholo and the APC. The Tribunal upheld the validity of the election, affirming that it was conducted in accordance with the law and properly declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

With this ruling, Governor Okpebholo and the APC have secured a second legal victory in the series of petitions challenging their win in the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election.

As reported by LEADERSHIP, INEC had declared Okpebholo the winner with 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who received 247,655 votes.