The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, has dismissed PDP”s petition challenging the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo in September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State.
The Justice Wilfred Kpochi, led three-member Edo State governorship Election tribunal delivered the judgment in Abuja on Wednesday.
EBS Abuja Henrietta Momodu who has been covering the proceedings reports that the PDP’s petition was the third to be quashed in a final judgment that spanned from 10am to 7:10pm
Point by point, the tribunal punctured PDP’s petition.
It held that PDP and it’s candidate Asue Ighodalo failed to present competent witnesses.
The court held that to prove non compliance to Electoral Act, the PDP failed to present polling agents, presiding officers and voters who would have given eye witness account.
The court maintained that a petitioner who alleges over voting must prove it with
BVAS machines, Form EC8A and should be able to prove that the figure removed substantially affected the result.
On BVAS, the court held that the petitioner dumped the machines.
It said the BVAS machine was not spoken to but clearly dumped and remained dormant.
The judges maintained that it remains law that documents do not speak for themselves.
The court further held that on the whole, the petitioners failed to prove the allegations of non compliance to INEC rules and guidelines.
