The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, have formally closed their case in the ongoing legal challenge against the outcome of the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election.
The petitioners concluded their case on Monday after presenting 19 witnesses who testified regarding alleged irregularities, particularly during the collation of votes at ward and local government levels. Their final submission included the tendering of five additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines used during the election.
The five BVAS machines were presented as evidence by Anthony Itodo, a Senior Technical Officer in the ICT Department of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This followed an earlier submission, made in compliance with a subpoena order from the tribunal, of 148 BVAS machines used in 133 polling units during the election.
Despite objections from INEC, as well as from Governor-elect Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his party, the tribunal admitted the BVAS machines as evidence, pending a final ruling on their relevance.
PDP’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Robert Emukpoeruo, expressed confidence in the evidence presented. They asserted that the petition successfully demonstrated electoral irregularities and wrongful computation of results, which they claim led to Okpebholo’s declaration as the election winner.
Edo State PDP Chairman, Chief Anthony Aziegbemin, also voiced optimism about the tribunal’s decision. He emphasized that the petition was built on strong documentary evidence rather than extensive witness testimony.
“We believe the case is straightforward and well-documented. We have presented all necessary evidence, and we trust the judiciary will give it the attention it deserves,” Aziegbemin stated.
Following the PDP’s case closure, the tribunal, presided over by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, scheduled Wednesday for INEC to commence its defense. The electoral body had declared Okpebholo the winner with 291,667 votes, while Ighodalo secured 247,655 votes.
Challenging this outcome, the PDP and Ighodalo have urged the tribunal to nullify Okpebholo’s victory, arguing that the election was marred by non-compliance with the Electoral Act and that the APC candidate did not lawfully secure the highest number of valid votes.
The tribunal’s ruling on the admissibility of the BVAS evidence and the overall petition will be keenly watched, as it could set a significant precedent for electoral disputes in Nigeria.
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