On Wednesday, the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, convened in Abuja, dismissed the Action Alliance’s (AA) petition aimed at overturning the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The tribunal, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi and comprising a three-member panel, determined that the petition, filed by AA and its National Chairman, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, was without merit.
The tribunal concluded that the issues raised in the petition were pre-election matters, falling outside its jurisdiction to adjudicate.
The petitioners claimed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had excluded their legitimate candidate from the governorship election held on September 21, 2024. They argued that, in contradiction to several court rulings, INEC recognized a candidate who had not been validly nominated by the party.
Furthermore, the petitioners contended that INEC’s failure to publish the name of their party’s rightful candidate constituted a significant violation of Section 134(1)(b) of the Electoral Act.
In addition to these claims, they asserted that Governor Okpebholo, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), did not receive the majority of legitimate votes and that the election was tainted by corrupt practices.
As a result, they sought the annulment of the election; however, the tribunal panel denied their request on Wednesday.
The panel upheld all preliminary objections raised against the petition. The respondents, including INEC and Governor Okpebholo, argued that the National Chairman of the AA lacked the standing to file the action, as he did not participate in the gubernatorial election.
They also asserted that the petition was barred by statute, as it involved pre-election issues that exceeded the tribunal’s jurisdiction.
It is noteworthy that AA’s candidate, Mr. Tom Iseghhi-Okojie, withdrew from the race in favor of Governor Okpebholo just days before the election.
