The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Tuesday dismissed the petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) party challenging the outcome of the state’s September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election.
The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, ruled against the petition filed against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Governor Monday Okpebholo.
During the proceedings, Adewale Adebayo, counsel for the petitioner, had urged the tribunal to uphold all the arguments and submissions made in favour of the party and grant the petitioners’ prayers.
However, the APC countered the allegations, stating that the petitioners, who claimed there was over-voting, had failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove their case.
The APC argued that in order to prove over-voting, the petitioner needed to call polling unit agents, eyewitnesses who could testify to the alleged irregularities.
The APC’s legal team contended that the AA had failed to meet this requirement, urging the tribunal to dismiss the case as it lacked merit, jurisdiction, and competence.
In response, the tribunal agreed with the APC’s defense and struck out the petition, citing the petitioners’ failure to present sufficient proof of their claims.
Additionally, in one of its rulings, the tribunal noted that only the candidate who contested the election is legally entitled to challenge the outcome. Since the AA’s candidate did not contest the election, the tribunal held that the AA, as a party, lacked the standing to challenge the result.
