Just in: Edo gov. poll tribunal: SDP withdraws case against Okpebholo’s election

The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, dismissed the case the Social Democratic Party(SDP) filed to nullify Gov. Monday Okpebholo’s election.

The tribunal’s decision came after the SDP withdrew its petition, prompting the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member panel to terminate further proceedings.

At the resumed hearing of the petitions on Tuesday, the petitioner, through its lawyer, Mr. Jackson Ehiavhie, notified the tribunal of its decision to discontinue the case.

Ehiavhie told the tribunal that he had been instructed by the National Secretariat of the SDP to withdraw the case.

The petition challenging Governor Okpebholo’s election was dismissed by Justice Kpochi in a brief ruling, following the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Okpebholo, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) not to contest the petition.

Persecondnews recalls that the SDP was one of six political parties that petitioned the tribunal to nullify Gov. Okpebholo’s Certificate of Return as the winner of the September 21, 2024, governorship election in the state.

As contained in the petition that was subsequently withdrawn, the SDP maintained that the election was held in fundamental breach of the provisions of the Electoral Act and the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of the Election, which were issued by INEC.

The party claimed that the flawed electoral process meant there couldn’t be a valid winner, and further alleged that the INEC failure to electronically transmit votes from polling units, as required by law, made the votes given to the APC invalid.

The SDP petitioned the tribunal to declare INEC’s announcement of Okpebholo as the winner of the gubernatorial election null and void.

Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, closed their case at the Tribunal on Monday.

Persecondnews recalls that Ighodalo and the party had called 19 witnesses to testify before the three-member panel led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi.

The tribunal scheduled INEC’s defence to begin on Wednesday, February 5.