…as tribunal adjourns to March 3 for adoption of final addresses
BY ANTHONY OCHELA, ABUJA
All Progressives Congress, APC, has closed its defense at the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, challenging its victory in the September 21, 2024 governorship election.
The party, which is the third respondent in the petition, closed its case after four witnesses gave testimony to substantiate its claim of victory at the Edo governorship poll.
When the matter came up yesterday, counsel to the APC, Mr Ferdinand Orbih (SAN) told the tribunal that his client would close its case because the plethora of documents tendered, the evidence of the petitioners during cross examination, as well as the evidence of the third respondent had done justice to the case.
He said as a result, there was no need to call additional witnesses.
“Taking all the enumerated factors into consideration, we are happy at this stage to close the third respondent’s case, with the leave of My Lordships,” Orbih said.
Since the petitioners did not object, Justice Wilfred Kpochi granted the request and fixed March 3 for parties to adopt their final written addresses in the matter.
The three-member panel also gave the respondents seven days to file and serve their processes.
The tribunal also ordered the petitioners to reply within five days of receiving the processes, adding that the respondents could reply to points of law within three days.
It would be recalled that the tribunal had adjourned proceedings on Wednesday to enable the APC tender some documents which it claimed its remaining witnesses would rely on in giving their evidence.
The party had also on Wednesday told the tribunal that it would call 28 witnesses to defend its victory at the governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which is the first respondent in the petition, had declared Governor Monday Okpebholo of the APC winner of that election.
Disagreeing with the development, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its governorship candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo, approached the tribunal, praying it to nullify INEC’s declaration of the APC and Okpebholo as winners of the election.
The petitioners contended that the election was invalid by reason of alleged non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
They equally argued in the petition marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, that Okpebholo did not secure the highest number of lawful votes cast at the polls.
The petitioners called 19 witnesses to prove that over-voting and wrong computation of votes occurred in over 700 polling units during the election.
INEC, as the first respondent, did not call any witnesses but tendered 153 Bimodal Verification Accreditation System, BVAS, used in 133 polling units where results were being disputed.
Okpebholo, as the second Respondent, called a lone witness, while the APC called four witnesses.
The petitioners and respondents would adopt their final written addresses on March 3, following which a date would be fixed for judgment.
