Supreme Court reserves verdict in Ighodalo’s appeal challenging Okpebholo’s declaration as Edo governor.

 Supreme Court reserves verdict in Ighodalo’s appeal challenging Okpebholo’s declaration as Edo governor.

The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, challenging the election of Monday Okpebholo as governor of Edo State. A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, announced the decision after hearing arguments from the parties on Wednesday, July 2, stating that a date for the final judgment would be communicated in due course.

 

Ighodalo, represented by counsel Ken Mosia, is asking the court to overturn the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Okpebholo as the winner of the September 21, 2024, governorship election. He urged the apex court to declare him the rightful winner, claiming he secured the majority of lawful votes cast.

 

Opposing the appeal, Kanu Agabi, counsel to INEC, urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the case entirely. Agabi argued that the PDP and Ighodalo had been inconsistent in their claims, asserting that since they described the election as unlawful, they could not in the same breath request to be declared winners. He maintained that the appeal lacked merit and should be struck out.

 

The appeal stems from INEC’s declaration of Okpebholo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the election with 291,667 votes. Ighodalo came second with 247,274 votes, while the Labour Party’s candidate, Olumide Akpata, placed third with 22,763 votes.

 

Dissatisfied with the result, Ighodalo and the PDP first approached the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, alleging widespread irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022. They requested that Okpebholo’s victory be nullified.

 

However, in a judgment delivered on April 2, the three-member tribunal panel led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi dismissed the petition, ruling that the PDP and its candidate failed to provide credible evidence or competent witnesses to support their claims.

 

Following the tribunal’s decision, the appellants proceeded to the Court of Appeal, which also dismissed their case on May 29. The appellate court, led by Justice Mohammed Danjuma, held that the appeal lacked merit and upheld the tribunal’s ruling.

 

The matter now lies with the Supreme Court, where the final verdict will determine the fate of the disputed Edo governorship seat.