APC closes case at Edo tribunal after calling four witnesses

By Wandoo Sombo

 The All Progressives Congress, (APC) has  closed its defense in the petition at the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal challenging its victory in the Sept. 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo.

The party, which is the 3rd respondent in the petition, closed its case after four witnesses gave testimony to substantiate its claim of victory at the Edo governorship poll.

When the matter came up on Thursday, counsel to APC, Mr  Ferdinand Orbih, SAN, told the tribunal that his client would close its case because the plethora of documents tendered, the evidence of the petitioners during cross examination as well as the evidence of the 3rd respondent had done justice to the case .

He said that as a result, there was no need to call additional witnesses.

“Taking all the enumerated factors into consideration, we are happy at this stage to close the 3rd respondent’s case, with the leave of my Lordships,” Orbih said.

Since the petitioners did not object, Justice Wilfred  Kpochi granted the request and fixed March 3 for parties to adopt their final written addresses in the matter.

The three-member panel also gave the respondents seven days to file and serve their processes.

The tribunal also ordered the petitioners to reply within five days of receiving the processes, adding that the respondents could reply to points of law within three days.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) recalls that the tribunal had adjourned proceedings on Wednesday to enable the APC tender some documents which it claimed its remaining witnesses would rely on in giving their evidence.

The party had told the trubunal that it would be calling 28 witnesses to defend its victory at the Edo governorship election.

NAN reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), which is the first respondent in the petition, had declared Gov. Monday Okpebholo of the APC winner of that election.

Miffed by this, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo, approached the tribunal, praying it to nullify INEC’s declaration of the APC and Okpebholo as winners of the election.

The petitioners contended that the governorship election was invalid by reason of alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.

They equally argued in the petition marked: EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, that Okpebholo did not secure the highest number of lawful votes that were cast at the polls.

The petitioners called 19 witnesses to prove that over-voting and wrong computation of votes  occurred in over 700 polling units during the election.

INEC, as the 1st respondent, did not call any witnesses but tendered 153  Bimodal Verification Accreditation System (BVAS) used in 133 polling units where results were being disputed.

Okpebholo, as the 2nd respondent called a lone witness while the APC called four witnesses.

The petitioners and respondents would adopt their final written addresses on March 3 following which a date would be fixed for judgment.(NAN)