The hearing at the Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, continued on January 22, 2025, with new evidence presented regarding alleged multiple over voting in favour of the All Progressives Congress during the September 21st Governorship Election.
A Collation Agent from Ovia South West Local Government Area testified about the over voting that reportedly occurred in seven polling units in the area.
Notably, the APC’s gubernatorial candidate’s running mate, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, now the Deputy Governor of Edo State, hails from Ovia South West LGA.
During the resumed hearing of the petition, marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, a witness from the Peoples Democratic Party, who was also a Collation Agent in Ovia South West, detailed how the total number of votes cast in Polling Units 014, 007, 004, 006, 016, 028, and 034 exceeded the total number of accredited voters.
The witness argued that the Independent National Electoral Commission failed to cancel the affected polling units despite clear evidence of over voting.
In his written statement on oath, the witness asserted that PDP agents had observed the over voting in the affected polling units and protested, but their concerns were ignored by INEC presiding officers. The witness cited the BVAS accreditation report, certified true copies of Result Sheets Form EC8A-C, CTC of IREV, and INEC CTCs of BVAS extracts as evidence of the alleged over voting.
Counsels representing the first respondent, INEC (Kanu Agabi, SAN), and the second respondent, Okpebholo (Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN), raised objections to the admission of the witness’s statement on oath. However, the tribunal admitted the statement as evidence.
The tribunal hearing continues, with more PDP witnesses expected to testify.