PDP, Ighodalo express confidence as Edo election tribunal commences hearing
• APC, PDP bicker over violence at Edo election tribunal venue
• EFCC accuses Ighodalo of preventing arrest of suspect involved in N6b LG funds
The Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-man Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has commenced hearing on the seven petitions challenging the declaration of Governor Monday Okpebholo as the winner of the 2024 Edo State governorship election, Other political parties contesting the outcome of the election have also expressed optimism in the judiciary to reclaim their mandate.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes, defeating the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, who recorded 247,274 votes and other candidates in the election.
Not satisfied with INEC’s declaration, the petitioners, Ighodalo, PDP, Accord Party (AP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), dragged INEC, Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the court to challenge the declaration and conduct of the election.
MEANWHILE, the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, traded words over the shooting incident that occurred at the venue of the Governorship Election Tribunal in Benin City.
Edo APC Chairman, Jarret Tenebe, in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin, accused the opposition PDP of disturbing the tribunal proceedings, saying that the act of violence is unacceptable.
Tenebe said: “Today’s shooting incident at the venue of the Governorship Election Tribunal in Benin City, involving members of the opposition PDP, is deeply disturbing and unacceptable.
“The tribunal is a sacred space where justice is meant to be administered impartially. Any act of violence within its walls undermines the very foundation of our legal system and threatens the safety of all involved.”
He expressed concern over the need to resort to violence, saying: “Regardless of political affiliation, resorting to violence to resolve disputes is never justifiable. We must all condemn such actions in the strongest possible terms.”
He noted that violence has no place in a civilised society, and those responsible for the heinous act must be brought to justice swiftly and without exception.
Meanwhile, the PDP, yesterday, accused the APC of a devious ploy to frustrate the party from reclaiming the mandate duly given to it by the people of Edo State in the last governorship election at the tribunal.
Chairman of Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, said that the APC in Edo State is clearly scared of justice and has now resorted to deploying thugs disguised in PDP-branded attire to disrupt the legal process while accusing the opposition party.
HOWEVER, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused the 2024 Edo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr. Asue Ighodalo, of preventing its officers from arresting Jonathan Okunbor, a suspect connected to a case of misappropriation of funds involving all the 18 local councils of Edo State.
Narrating the commission’s ordeal, yesterday, in Abuja, after a failed attempt to apprehend the suspect, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson noted that insinuations that Okunbor is a witness of the PDP in the election tribunal as claimed by Ighodalo were not true.
According to Oyewale, investigators had interrogated the counsel to Ighodalo on the status of Okunbor in the election tribunal matters and he clearly stated that he was not a witness in the matter.
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