•Insists Ighodalo won Sept. 21 poll 

•Okpebholo assures state of continued devt

•APC greets governor, tasks petitioner to join hands with him

The national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, said after a thorough review of the judgement of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, it concluded that the verdict was a miscarriage of justice and a betrayal of the trust Nigerians, particularly the people of the state, invested in the tribunal.

PDP insisted that with the avalanche of evidence presented and admitted by the tribunal, its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, won the September 21, 2024 governorship election, having scored the highest number of valid votes cast in the election.

But Governor Monday Okpebholo, while still basking in the euphoria of his victory, assured the people of the state that his administration would continue with the development strides he had started to ensure that Edo people enjoyed the dividends of democracy.

At the same time, the national leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC), while congratulating Okpebholo, described the judgement as an affirmation of the mandate freely given to APC and its candidates by the Edo people, urging Ighodalo to join hands with the governor.

In a statement by PDP National Publicity  Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party said, “It is very disturbing that despite the overwhelming evidence and findings by the tribunal that the PDP was robbed of its clear victory at the election through manipulations, including wrongful allocation of votes to the All Progressives Congress (APC), arbitrary and illegal cancellation of valid votes won by the PDP, the election tribunal contradicted itself by coming to a conclusion that is at variance with its own findings.

“More distressing is that this judgement by the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal constitutes a major threat to the confidence Nigerians have in democracy and adjudication of electoral matters.

‘’It is instructive to note that democracy can only thrive in an atmosphere of adherence to the rule of law and adjudication of issues which can only be accepted by the people when, indeed, a tribunal of such nature impartially apply the law, the facts and body of evidence made available to it at proceedings.’’

Ologunagba said it was inconsistent with PDP’s avowed belief in the capacity of the judiciary to, in appropriate cases, ensure that justice was done.

“Our party and candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, are proceeding to the Court of Appeal, where we believe that there will be a conscientious judicial review of the matter to give justice to the people of Edo State,” he said.

PDP called on the people of Edo State to remain. But it said they should remain resolute and not allow the verdict of the tribunal dampen their confidence in the institution of the judiciary and democracy in Nigeria as they awaited the restoration of the mandate they freely gave to PDP and Ighodalo at the election.

PDP in Kwara State also rejected the election tribunal judgement on the petitions filed in respect of the September 21, 2024 election in Ilorin South, Patigi, and Offa local government council areas.

PDP alleged that the rulings were “blatantly compromised and failed to meet the minimum moral and legal standards expected of a free, fair, and credible democratic process”.

The party’s chairmanship candidate in Ilorin South Local Government Area, Mr. Muhammed Ismail (aka Maigida), and his councillorship candidates had filed separate petitions challenging the outcome of the said elections before an election petition tribunal.

But the tribunal, yesterday, affirmed the electoral victory of Hon. Nuhu Majeed Podo, as duly elected chairman of Ilorin South local government council. It also confirmed the elections of chairmen of Patigi and Offa local government councils during last year’s local government election in the state.

Publicity Secretary of PDP in the state, Mr.  Olusegun Adewara, in a statement in Ilorin, expressed “profound disappointment with the tribunal’s verdicts”.

Okpebholo Assures Edo of Continued Devt

Okpebholo assured the people of Edo State that his administration will continue with its development strides to ensure that Edo people enjoyed the dividends of democracy.

Okpebholo and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, returned to Benin City yesterday from Abuja after the election tribunal affirmed them as the duly elected governor and deputy governor.

They paid homage to the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Ukulele Akpolokpolo, Erediauwa II, where he acknowledged cheers from residents of the state who trooped out welcome him.

The governor and his entourage, while paying homage to the Oba of Benin, thanked him for his prayers and support for the new administration since it came on board.

The governor also appreciated the judges for the unanimity in their decision in his favour based on what was provided before them by all parties.

He stated at the palace, “I am here in the palace to let you know that the issues of the election petition tribunal between Monday Okpebholo and Asue Ighodalo have been resolved. It was resolved in favour of Monday Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The three judges agreed that Senator Monday Okpebholo won the September 21st governorship election in Edo State. Three parties took APC to the tribunal, and all the cases were thrown out by the judges. This means that I am the duly elected governor of Edo State.

“Your Majesty, I am here to thank you and Edo people for the love, prayers, and support shown to my administration. I will continue to do my best and work for Edo people and ensure that Edo enjoys the dividends of democracy.”

His Royal Majesty, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Ewuare ll, the Oba of Benin Kingdom, who was pleased with the outcome of the election petition tribunal, described the governor as a traditional son of the palace.

The monarch personally prayed for the governor, unlike the usual practice of delegating a palace chief to do so. He stated that some persons came to destroy the kingdom, but the current governor came to rescue the state and direct it on the path of development and growth. He prayed for the success of the current administration in Edo State.

The Oba said, “The tribunal judgement was a victory for Edo people. The governor has been doing well for the state, as he has hit the ground running. I am supposed to travel today on a working visit, but when I heard that the governor was coming, I had to wait for him.

“We heard that he wants to bring the victory to his father. I had to wait for him. He is my traditional son. We will do our best to be praying for him and play a fatherly role.

“The governor is a traditional son. We will not speak much. This is significant as we have not done this before. I appeal to the sons and daughters of the Oba, chiefs in the palace, as we will not allow our son to kneel for too long. We have not done this before, leaving the throne to lift a person up from his kneels. The ancestors directed us to do this.

“I encourage you to work harder, and I know you have been working so hard that sometimes you have no time to play. We thank you for coming here first. Thank you so much.”

APC Congratulates Okpebholo, Tasks Ighodalo to Join Hands with Governor

APC congratulated  Okpebholo and his deputy, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, on the judgement of the tribunal that affirmed their electoral victory.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, in a statement, said the judgement validated the overwhelming support of the Edo State electorate for APC’s candidate in the September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election.

He said it also stood as an affirmation of the popular will of the good people of Edo State.

According to Morka, “We applaud the judiciary for its well-reasoned decision in the matter, underscoring its independence, professionalism and commitment to strengthening democracy in our country.

“Confident that this well-deserved victory will further energise Governor Okpebholo, who is already saturating the state with good governance and dividends of democracy, we urge the Governor to do even more for the Edo electorate, and translate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda into meaningful benefits for all in the state.”

National Secretary of the party,  Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, also described the judgement as an affirmation of the mandate freely given by the Edo people to the party and its candidates, urging the petitioner  to join hands with Okhpebolo towards building a virile state.

Basiru, who spoke with THISDAY in Ilorin during a chat, hailed the judgement that rejected the petitions of Ighodalo against the election of Okpebholo.

He stated, “The judgement is in consonance with well settled principles of law already established in a plethora of cases as to the nature of oral and documentary evidence required from a petitioner to establish allegations of non-compliance with the provisions of Electoral Act.

“Specifically, the tribunal rightly held that the petitioners merely dumped documents, including BVAS, without evidence to link them to the allegations made by the petitioners.

“The decision of the tribunal that petitioners’ witnesses are not competent witnesses to give evidence in support of the allegations made by the petitioners is unassailable in view of well-established case-law.

“The judgement is an affirmation of the mandate freely given by the Edo people to the APC and its candidates, Senator Monday Okhpebolo, and Hon Idahosa.”

Basiru urged the petitioners to join hands with the governor to move the state forward.