The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, situated in Abuja, has rendered a decision to dismiss the petition submitted by the Action Alliance and Adekunle Omoaje, contesting the election results pertaining to Governor Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress, and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
In its ruling on Wednesday, the tribunal, composed of three members, determined that the petition was devoid of merit and characterized it as frivolous.
The Action Alliance and Omoaje had contested the legitimacy of Okpebholo’s victory in the gubernatorial election held on September 21, 2024, alleging instances of corrupt practices and a failure to adhere to the stipulations of the Electoral Act.
They contended that the candidate from the APC did not attain a majority of valid votes and asserted that the declaration of Okpebholo as the governor by INEC was both illegal and unconstitutional.
The petitioners additionally asserted that the Action Alliance was precluded from presenting a candidate for the governorship, due to the absence of the requisite signature from the party’s National Chairman on the nomination form.
INEC had proclaimed Okpebholo as the victor with a total of 291,667 votes, surpassing his nearest competitor, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, who garnered 247,655 votes.
In its ruling, the tribunal concluded that Omoaje lacked the requisite legal standing to contest the election, given that he had not participated in the electoral process.
It further determined that his allegations, which were predicated on his lack of recognition as the National Chairman of the Action Alliance by INEC, lacked substantive foundation within the framework of the Electoral Act 2022.
Consequently, the tribunal dismissed the petition in its entirety.
