Proceedings at the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja were stalled on Wednesday due to the absence of witnesses from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
INEC, listed as the first respondent in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, was scheduled to open its defence after the petitioners concluded their case on Monday. The PDP and Ighodalo are challenging the outcome of the September 21 gubernatorial election in Edo State.
When the hearing resumed, INEC’s counsel, Abdullahi Aliyu, informed the tribunal that the commission’s five witnesses were still en route from Benin City to Abuja. However, he tendered three documents to demonstrate the commission’s intent to open its defence. The documents included certified true copies of the collation of results at the state level (Form EC8D), the declaration of results, and the 2022 regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections.
Despite these submissions, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, who leads the three-member tribunal, criticised INEC’s approach, stating that an entire day had been wasted.
Aliyu pleaded for an adjournment, noting that INEC had been allocated a ten-day period to present its defence and assuring the tribunal that it would only need a single day to conclude its case.
Counsel for Ighodalo, Adetunji Oyeyipo, did not object to INEC’s tendering of the documents, pointing out that they were the same materials the PDP had already submitted as evidence to support its claim that the election results were flawed.
The tribunal adjourned the hearing until Thursday to allow INEC to present its witnesses.
The PDP and Ighodalo are urging the tribunal to nullify the election results, alleging non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022. They also argue that Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress did not secure the highest number of valid votes cast in the election.