The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, resumed its hearings on the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, challenging the results of the September 21, 2024, election.
As proceedings continued, former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, attended the tribunal to show support for Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Edo state’s former deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, who switched allegiance from the PDP to the APC, was also present.
Their presence at the tribunal signals the importance of the case, with both parties fiercely defending the election outcome.
The PDP’s legal team presented its 16th witness, Haruna Ibrahim, who testified that while the election was generally conducted properly, he observed irregularities, including over-voting, during the polling process.
Ibrahim, a polling unit agent, claimed he reported these irregularities to INEC officials at the polling unit. His testimony is part of the PDP’s effort to prove that the election was flawed and should be annulled.
Naijaonpoint recalls that the tribunal had previously admitted crucial evidence, including 148 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines used during the election.
These machines were presented by Anthony Itodo, a Senior Technical Officer in the ICT Department of INEC.
The BVAS data is critical in verifying whether the election followed proper procedures and will be used to assess the validity of the results, particularly in disputed polling units.