BY ANTHONY OCHELA, ABUJA
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, in Abuja on Monday, closed his case at the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal after calling only one witness.
Dr. Asue Ighodalo and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are challenging the victory of Gov. Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 2024 election.
At the resumed hearing, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, lead counsel to Gov. Okpebholo, told the tribunal that the business of the day was for his client to open his case.
Ikpeazu prayed the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member tribunal to allow him to call his only witness.
The witness, Mr Usman Majek told the tribunal that he was a polling unit agent of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) during the Sept. 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo.
Under cross-examination, the witness agreed that there was overvoting in his polling unit.
He also affirmed that in his unit, accreditation and voting took place simultaneously.
Majek told the tribunal that he complained to the Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) about the result he entered on the result sheet after he signed it.
After Majek’s testimony, Ikpeazu applied to close the defence of his client.
The tribunal granted the application especially as there was no objection from the other counsels.
The tribunal adjourned proceedings to February 12 for the APC to present its case.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo, had approached the tribunal praying it to invalidate the outcome of the governorship election.
The petitioners had sought the invalidation of the governorship election on the grounds of alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.
They further contended that Okpebholo did not secure the highest number of majority votes cast in that election.
