May 29, (THEWILL) – The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, challenging the victory of the All Progressives Congress candidate, Monday Okpebholo, in the September 2024 governorship election in Edo State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Okpebholo winner of the election held on September 21, after he polled 291,667 votes to defeat Ighodalo, who scored 247,274 votes, and Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata, who secured 22,763 votes.
Earlier, on April 2, the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja and led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, upheld Okpebholo’s victory and dismissed the PDP’s petition for lack of merit.
Not satisfied with the ruling, the PDP and Ighodalo approached the appellate court, seeking to overturn the Tribunal’s judgment.
However, in a unanimous decision delivered on Tuesday, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice M. A. Danjuma, ruled that the appeal lacked merit.
The court held that the appellants failed to substantiate their allegations of electoral irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
It noted that the petitioners did not present credible witnesses or tender vital electoral documents to support their claims.
Describing the appeal as speculative and devoid of evidentiary value, the court affirmed the Tribunal’s judgment and upheld Okpebholo’s election as the duly elected governor of Edo State.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
