The Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress clashed at the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Thursday over accusations of witness intimidation.
The altercation occurred shortly after the three-member panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, commenced its sitting. Ken Mozia, SAN, the lead counsel for the PDP and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, alleged that some of the witnesses scheduled to testify in the petition had been threatened. Mozia explained that although the witnesses’ names were kept confidential using acronyms, their identities could be deduced from their roles in the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
Mozia further claimed that some witnesses had been so intimidated that they were now afraid to testify. He mentioned that he had previously raised the issue with APC’s counsel, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, but was met with resistance.
“My lord, we gave them (respondents) the list of witnesses. But what they did to some of those witnesses was beyond imagination, to the extent that some of them are afraid to come and testify,” the petitioners’ counsel added.
The allegations were promptly dismissed by the APC’s legal team, with Ukala insisting that the petitioners knew what steps to take if their witnesses were being threatened. The exchange between the two parties became heated, but Justice Kpochi intervened, urging the petitioners to provide the respondents with a list of witnesses in advance to avoid further disruption.
Meanwhile, the tribunal continued with proceedings as Eseigbe Victor, the PDP Ward Agent from Akoko-Edo LGA, took the witness stand to testify for the petitioners.
The petition at the tribunal seeks to invalidate the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the APC, who was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission with 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Ighodalo, who secured 247,655 votes.
The PDP and its candidate have approached the tribunal, arguing that the election was marred by alleged violations of the Electoral Act and that Okpebholo did not secure the highest number of lawful votes. The petitioners have requested that the tribunal annul INEC’s declaration of Okpebholo as the winner.