By Anthony Ochela, Abuja
The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, dismissed the suit instituted by the Action Alliance, AA, challenging the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member panel held that the petition, which the party filed along with its National Chairman, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, is devoid of merit as it bordered on pre-election issues.
The petitioners had among other things, alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, excluded its lawful candidate in the governorship election that held on September 21, 2024.
They alleged that contrary to various court judgements, the electoral body accepted and recognised a candidate that was not validly nominated by the party.
According to the petitioners, INEC’s failure to publish the name of the rightful candidate of the party for the gubernatorial contest amounted to a substantial non-compliance to provisions of section 134(1) (b) of the Electoral Act.
Besides their contention that Governor Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, did not secure the majority of lawful votes cast during the election, the petitioners insisted that the exercise was marred by corrupt practices.
They, therefore, prayed for the nullification of the election, a request the panel refused on Wednesday.
The panel upheld all the preliminary objections that were lodged against the petition.
All the Respondents, including INEC and Governor Okpebholo, had challenged the competence of the petition, stressing that the National Chairman of the AA was bereft of the locus standi to institute the action since he did not participate in the governorship poll.
They equally maintained that the petition was statute-barred as it contained pre-election matters that were beyond the jurisdiction of the tribunal.
AA’s candidate, Mr. Tom Iseghhi-Okojie, had stepped down for governor Okpebholo, a few days before the governorship election.
