From Godwin Tsa Abuja
After calling 19 witnesses at the Edo State governorship election tribunal to attack the credibility and outcome of the September 21, 2024 governorship election that produced Governor Monday Okpegholo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, closed their case.
The decision was communicated to the Justice Wilfred Kpochi- led three-member tribunal by counsel to the petitioners, Mr. Robert Emukpoeruo, yesterday.
In their petition, the petitioners who called 19 witnesses and tendered several documents and devices used for the disputed polls, urged the tribunal to nullify the election of Governor Okpebholo over alleged irregularities including over-voting and non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, produced five additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines used for the election.
The electronic devices, which were tendered by a Senior Technical Officer in the ICT Department of INEC, Mr. Anthony Itodo, were admitted in evidence, amidst opposition from the camp of the respondents.
This is in addition to the 148 BVAS machines that had earlier been admitted in evidence by the tribunal for the conduct of the election in 133 polling units.
After the short proceedings, the tribunal then adjourned till Wednesday for INEC to open its defence.
The electoral body had declared that Okpebholo of the APC secured 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ighodalo of the PDP, who got 247,655 votes.
However, dissatisfied with the results, the PDP and its candidate approached the tribunal, praying it to nullify INEC’s declaration of the APC and Okpebholo as winners of the election.
In the petition marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, the petitioners argued that Governor Okpebholo of the APC did not secure the highest number of lawful votes that were cast at the election.
