Edo Gov’ship Poll: Tribunal Dismisses Accord Party’s Petition Against APC, Okpebholo
A 3-man panel of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, dismissed a petition by Dr Bright Enabulele, the governorship candidate of Accord Party, in the September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election held in the State.
By the petition, Dr Enabulele had challenged the declaration of Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governor of Edo State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Delivering judgment on the petition by the Accord Party and its governorship candidate, Dr. Enabulele, the tribunal, headed by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, refused to nullify the election of Governor Okpebholo.
In a unanimous decision, the tribunal led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi also declined to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh governorship poll in Edo state.
The tribunal held that the prayer, as contained in the petition filed by the Accord Party and Dr Enabulele, could not be granted as they failed to discharge the burden of proof placed on them by the law.
Consequently, the Tribunal struck out the petition for being incompetent.
The petitioners had alleged that the governorship election was held in non-compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC’s rules, as well as was marred by corrupt practices.
However, the Tribunal contended that the petitioners failed to provide any credible evidence to establish the allegations.
The panel noted that
the petitioners made “general and sweeping allegations” against the outcome of the election, but failed to show particulars of exact polling units or wards where the alleged electoral irregularities were perpetrated.
The Tribunal described some of the depositions in the petitioners’ affidavit as “vague”, insisting that the allegations against Governor Okpebholo’s victory were not substantiated.
Therefore, the Tribunal said it found merit in all the preliminary objections raised by the APC and the Governor, challenging the competence of the petition.
Recall that Dr Bright Enabulele had approached the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, challenging the process that produced Senator Monday Okpebholo.
Specifically, Enabulele said he filed the petition on the basis that the election was conducted substantially on non-compliance with the electoral process.
Enabulele had alleged that the election was characterized by electoral malpractices and fraud allegedly perpetrated by the INEC and sought to be declared as the winner of the governorship election.
The petitioners claimed that the results of the election were manipulated and cited his experience at Ward 5 at St Saviour Ivbiyeneva Primary School unit 1 in the Ikpoba/Okha Local Government Area, where he voted but officially received zero votes.
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