INEC Tenders Documents in Defence of Edo Guber Poll, Calls Witnesses Thursday 

Alex Enumah in Abuja 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday tendered documents it used in the conduct of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

The documents which, include certified true copies of the collation of result at the state level (Form EC8D), the declaration of results and the regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections, 2022, were tendered by its lead counsel, Mr Abdullahi Aliyu (SAN).

None of the parties, including the petitioners, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo, objected to the admissibility of the documents.

According to petitioners’ lawyer, Mr Adetunji Oyeyipo (SAN), the documents were the same ones they had already tendered to prove their case that the outcome of the election was flawed. 

Governor Monday Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are second and third respondents respectively.

The three-member panel of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja had on Monday ordered the electoral umpire to open its defence on Wednesday.

The panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, had made the order following the closure of the case of the petitioners.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, Aliyu after presenting the said documents, informed the tribunal that five of its witnesses were held up on their trip from Benin City and as such, would be asking for a short adjournment.

Meanwhile, Aliyu assured the court that the first respondent would use just one day to conclude its case.

Responding, Justice Kpochi, who faulted INEC’s approach, lamented that the whole day has been wasted due to lack of things to do.

He subsequently adjourned till February 6, for the electoral umpire to call in its witnesses.

INEC had declared Okpebholo of the APC winner of the September 21 governorship election after scoring a total of 291,667 votes.

PDP’s Ighodalo came second after scoring a total of 247,655 votes.

Aggrieved by the outcome of the election, the PDP and its candidate approached the tribunal, praying it to nullify INEC’s declaration of Okpebholo as governor.

The petitioners, among other things, contended that the governorship election was invalid by reason of alleged non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act. 

They equally argued in the petition marked: EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, that Governor Okpebholo of the APC did not secure the highest number of lawful votes that were cast at the election.