BREAKING: Edo Election Tribunal Stalls As INEC Fails To Present Witnesses

Proceedings at the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja were stalled on Wednesday due to the absence of witnesses from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Naija News understands that the tribunal is hearing a petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, challenging the September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election results, which declared Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner.

At the resumed hearing, INEC’s counsel, Abdullahi Aliyu, informed the tribunal that the five witnesses listed for the defence were still on their way to Abuja from Benin City and were unable to testify as scheduled.

However, in an attempt to show its commitment to defending the election results, INEC tendered three documents before the Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member tribunal. These documents included:

– Certified True Copies of the Collation of Results at the State Level (Form EC8D)

– Declaration of Results Form

– Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022

Despite this, Justice Wilfred Kpochi faulted INEC’s approach, stating that the entire day had been wasted due to the commission’s unpreparedness.

INEC’s counsel, Aliyu, pleaded for an adjournment, arguing that the commission still had a ten-day timeline to present its defence and would require only one day to conclude its case.

On his part, PDP’s counsel, Adetunji Oyeyipo, did not object to the tendering of the documents but noted that they were the same documents the PDP had earlier presented to prove that the election was flawed.

Following the proceedings, the tribunal adjourned the hearing until Thursday to allow INEC to call its witnesses.

The PDP and its candidate, Ighodalo, are seeking to invalidate Okpebholo’s victory, arguing that the governorship election was conducted in violation of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The petitioners contend that Okpebholo did not secure the highest number of lawful votes and are asking the tribunal to declare the election results null and void.