BY ANTHONY OCHELA, ABUJA
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo yesterday, closed their case before the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, where they are challenging the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the September 2024 governorship election.
At the commencement of proceedings, lead counsel to the petitioners, Ken Mozia (SAN) informed the tribunal that in response to their application asking the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to produce the Bimodal Verification Accreditation System, BVAS, machines used in 133 polling units during the election, as contained in their schedule, 148 were produced last week, as INEC failed to produce the machines for five polling units indicated in the schedule.
He noted that “the 148 machines have been tendered and accepted into the records of the court. The first respondent (INEC) has brought the remaining five BVAS machines and they want it to be presented by a Senior Technical Officer in the Information Communication Technology, ICT, Department, Anthony Itodo.
All the counsels to the three respondents objected to the tendering of the BVAS machines and said they would give their reasons in their final addresses.
Chairman of the three-member tribunal, Wilfred Kpochi admitted the machines and said the tribunal awaits the reasons for the objection by the respondents.
Following the development, Mozia announced that the petitioners were closing their case and await the witness list of the respondents for subsequent proceedings.
In his response, counsel for INEC, Kanu Agabi (SAN) urged the tribunal to grant them some time to react to the petitioners decision to close their case, which he said took the respondents by surprise.
He prayed for time to enable the respondents put together their witness list and prepare them for their case.
Lead counsel for Governor Okpebholo, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) also asked for time to put together their witness list, promising to make it very easy for everyone.
The petitioners did not object to the request for time and the tribunal adjourned proceedings in the petition till February 5.
Ighodalo and his party are challenging the declaration of Okpebholo as winner of the election, following alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
They alleged that Okpebholo did not secure the highest number of majority votes cast as required by law, as well as over voting.
During the course of their argument, the petitioners called a total of 19 witnesses and presented other supporting documents to back up their claims before the tribunal.
