The 2024 Edo Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal witnessed a sharp disagreement on Wednesday as the All Progressives Congress urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by the People’s Democratic Party challenging the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
APC counsel Ferdinand Orbih, SAN, argued during a pre-hearing session in Benin that the PDP’s petition was incompetent, claiming it was not filed in accordance with legal provisions.
He asserted that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, citing grounds for dismissal outlined in a motion dated 30 November and supported by a seven-paragraph affidavit.
In response, PDP counsel Ken Mozia, SAN, countered the APC’s arguments, urging the tribunal to disregard the dismissal motion. Mozia stated that the petitioners had filed a reply and counter-affidavit opposing the motion.
The tribunal’s chairman, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, reserved a ruling on the motion until the final judgement day.
“I have heard the arguments from both counsels, including the APC’s call for a ruling on its motion to dismiss the petition. The ruling will be delivered on the final day,” Justice Kpochi said.
In a subsequent motion, the APC sought to strike out specific paragraphs in the PDP’s petition. Orbih argued that the tribunal should address this motion before proceeding with the main petition. However, PDP’s counsel opposed the application, describing it as lacking merit and urging the tribunal to dismiss it.
Justice Kpochi reiterated that all preliminary motions would be ruled upon alongside the final judgement.
Earlier, the PDP filed four motions seeking to expunge various paragraphs from the replies submitted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the APC, and Okpebholo to its petition.
The tribunal adjourned proceedings to Saturday for the parties to file a common proposal to guide subsequent hearings.
This development sets the stage for further legal manoeuvres ahead of the substantive hearing into the PDP’s challenge to Okpebholo’s declaration as the winner of the 21 September election.
INEC had declared Okpebholo the winner, polling 291,667 votes to defeat the PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes, and the Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata, who scored 22,763 votes.
