Edo Tribunal: PDP, APC lawyers clash over alleged threat to witnesses

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday clashed at the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal over an alleged threat to witnesses.

Shortly after the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member panel commenced sitting, the lead counsel for the PDP and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, Mr Ken Mozia, SAN, alleged that some witnesses billed to testify in the matter had been threatened.

Mozia noted that although the names of the proposed witnesses were coded through the use of acronyms, he said the identities of the witnesses were known through the roles they played during the governorship election that was held on September 21, 2024.

“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.

He told the tribunal that he had earlier drawn the attention of APC’s counsel, Mr Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, to what the witnesses were being subjected to.

However, his allegation did not go down well with the senior lawyers who appeared for respondents in the petition seeking to nullify Governor Okpebholo’s election.

Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, who represented the APC, described the allegation as baseless.

“My lord, this is unfortunate that my learned friend is involving us in this phantom allegation,” Ikpeazu responded, complaining that the petitioners failed to furnish him with a list of particular witnesses they planned to call for the day.
Similarly, counsel for the APC, Mr Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, dismissed the allegation, insisting that the petitioners knew what to do if their witnesses were threatened.

“My lords, if there are criminal activities going on, they know what to do and who to meet.
“It is not for them to come here to make blanket statements,” Ukala stated.

Still maintaining his position, counsel for the petitioners said: “My lord, I had earlier approached him (Ukala) and I even sent him videos of the alleged threats to our witness.

“To say that it is not real or phantom, my lord, that is not fair.”

“My lord, the video he shared with me had nothing to do with the list of witnesses. By then, the schedule of witnesses had not even been filed.

“I gave him the assurances that I gave him when he showed the videos to me, and since then, he has not brought any issue to my attention,” APC’s lawyer, Ukala, SAN, insisted.

Not ready to be drawn into the brawl, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Kpochi, urged the petitioners to furnish the respondent with the list of witnesses ahead of time.

“My appeal is that you give them a list of witnesses that are prepared for the next day,” Justice Kpochi added.

Meanwhile, the Ward Agent of the PDP in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Eseigbe Victor, is giving testimony presently.