The Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo, challenging the outcome of the Sept. 21, 2024 governorship election.
But Ighodalo says he has instructed his lawyers to head up to Court of Appeal. ”I have, therefore, instructed my legal team to proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge this decision, which we consider a huge travesty of justice.”
”This is not about me or any single individual; it is about the very essence of democracy, the preservation of our collective right to freely determine our future, and the legacy we leave for generations unborn,” he said in a statement after the tribunal’s verdict.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday in Abuja, the tribunal upheld the election of Gov. Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo who polled 247,655 votes.
The three-member tribunal dismissed the petitioners’ petition on the grounds that they failed to prove their allegation of over voting.
The tribunal also held that the petitioners failed to call competent witnesses to speak to documentary evidence they brought to the tribunal.
This the justices said amounted to dumping of documents on the trubunal as they could not prove how the documents led to their allegations of over voting.
Ighodalo, in his statement urged his supporters to remain peaceful.
His words: ”As an avowed democrat, I respect the judiciary as the last hope of the common man, and I urge all of you, our dear good people of Edo State, to remain peaceful, calm and law-abiding in the aftermath of this Judgement.
”However, let it be clear: this is not the end of our journey, but the beginning of a greater struggle for justice, democracy, and the sanctity of the people’s mandate freely conferred on my running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie and I are on the platform of our great Party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
”While we all may not agree with the verdict, we, however, remain steadfast in our belief that the rule of law must remain the bedrock of our democracy. Our pursuit of justice in this regard is an affirmation of our firm belief that the right of the good people of Edo State to freely choose their leaders through a credible, free and fair electoral process must never be compromised…
”From the very beginning, your massive show of support, sincere love and belief in our shared vision for a prosperous Edo State have been the driving force behind this journey”
”For us, it has never been about the realisation of a personal ambition but about our conviction to create a clear Pathway to Prosperity for all Edo People while upholding the foundational values of democracy, justice, and the will of the people.”
”We remain resolute. We remain committed. And we shall not waver in our pursuit of truth and justice.”
● Additional report by NAN
