The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has rejected the judgment passed by the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which upheld the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Benin, the Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee, Tony Aziegbemi, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the tribunal’s ruling, asserting that the party’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, was duly elected by the majority of voters in the state.
Aziegbemi said, “The Edo Election Petition Tribunal has delivered its ruling on our petition, challenging the result of the governorship election held on September 21, 2024. While we respect the judiciary, we completely disagree with the decision of the tribunal.”
He further stated that the PDP was confident it had sufficiently proven its case before the tribunal.
The PDP Chairman stated, “We believe, without any doubt, that our candidate was duly elected by the majority of the voters in that election. We are certain that we sufficiently proved our case before the tribunal.”
He called on the party’s supporters to remain hopeful and resilient, stating that the PDP would take the matter to the appellate courts to ensure justice is served.
Aziegbemi said, “We call on all our members to rise up from this temporary setback and take our matter to the appellate courts. As firm believers in the rule of law and the ultimate superiority of right over wrong, we will explore all available democratic means to ensure the will of the people of Edo prevails.”
Naija News recalls that the three-member tribunal, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, dismissed the PDP’s petition on the grounds that the petitioners failed to provide sufficient evidence to support their claims of over-voting and electoral non-compliance.
The tribunal noted that it was the responsibility of the petitioners to prove their allegations against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), rather than relying on the defense to prove the allegations.
Justice Kpochi pointed out that the PDP failed to present polling unit agents and presiding officers as witnesses to back their claims of over-voting in the disputed polling units.
The judge stated, “The documents tendered from the bar by the petitioners were dumped on the tribunal without any competent witness to substantiate the claims of over-voting and electoral non-compliance. The failure of the petitioners to call polling unit agents and registered voters is fatal to their case.”
The tribunal also criticized the PDP for presenting Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines without calling competent witnesses to operate the devices and demonstrate their claims of over-voting.
“These witnesses presented by the petitioners, comprising Local Government agents and others, are total strangers. The failure to provide eyewitness accounts to prove electoral non-compliance is crucial to the case,” the judge remarked.
Despite the tribunal’s ruling, the PDP remains resolute in its determination to seek justice. Aziegbemi concluded, “This is not the end of our journey, but the beginning of a greater struggle for justice, democracy, and the sanctity of the people’s mandate freely given to our candidate and running mate.”
