The Court of Appeal in Abuja is under pressure as it hears explosive appeals challenging the legitimacy of Monday Okpebholo’s declaration as the winner of the September 21 Edo governorship election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate victorious, but the legal fireworks are far from over.
On Monday, a three-man panel led by Justice Mohamed Danjuma reserved judgment after final arguments from all sides. The court will announce its decision at a later date.
PDP, Accord, AA Mount Pressure on Appeal Court
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, are asking the Court of Appeal to overturn the tribunal’s ruling delivered on April 2. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Robert Emukpoeruo, representing Ighodalo and the PDP, argued that the tribunal ignored clear cases of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.
He said, “The tribunal failed to appreciate the nature of the non-compliance we complained of.” He specifically pointed out the absence of serial numbers on Form EC 25B, insisting that it violated Section 73(2) of the law.
Emukpoeruo stressed that they did not need witnesses to prove this. “Our case was that the Form EC 25B did not contain the serial number,” he explained, adding that the tribunal misunderstood their argument and wrongfully assumed the documents had been dumped without oral support.
He noted that the results announced at polling units were inconsistent with those collated at the ward level, a serious red flag that undermines electoral credibility.
INEC, APC Say Appeals Are Waste of Time
But lawyers for the APC and INEC dismissed the appeal as a waste of judicial time. Onyechi Ikpeazu, counsel for the respondents, declared that the PDP’s petition and appeal were “nothing but an academic exercise.”
He argued that the tribunal rightly ruled in favour of Okpebholo, adding that the PDP’s claims lacked substance. Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, representing the APC, and Kanu Agabi, SAN, for INEC, also urged the Court of Appeal to throw out the case and uphold the tribunal’s decision.
Meanwhile, two other appeals were heard — one filed by Action Alliance (AA) and its National Chairman, Rufai Omoaje, and another by Bright Enabulele of the Accord Party. Both are also challenging the legitimacy of the election result.
Edo Verdict Sparks Controversy in Court
The Edo State governorship election may have been declared over by INEC, but the legal tussle is heating up. With multiple appeals challenging Okpebholo’s victory, the Court of Appeal is now the battleground for what many describe as a test of electoral integrity.
