The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to begin presenting its witnesses on Thursday at the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja.
The tribunal’s resumed sitting on Wednesday saw INEC’s counsel, Abdullahi Aliyu (SAN), announce that five witnesses were lined up to defend the declaration of Monday Okpebholo from the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election.
The petitioners, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate Asue Ighodalo, are challenging Okpebholo’s victory, citing allegations of electoral malpractice, including overvoting and inaccurate figures at collation centers. INEC had declared Okpebholo the winner with 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo, who garnered 247,655 votes.
Following the closure of the petitioners’ case on Monday, INEC is now opening its defense, with key electoral documents presented as evidence. These include certified copies of election result forms and the commission’s regulations. With no objections from the petitioners or other respondents, these documents were admitted into evidence.
As the tribunal hearing continues, the legal battle over the results of the Edo governorship election remains ongoing.
