The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Thursday upheld the election that declared Senator Monday Okpebholo as governor of Edo State on September 21, 2024.
A three-member panel led by Justice Mohamed Danjuma dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
The court ruled that the appeal lacked merit and affirmed the decision of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had earlier upheld Okpebholo’s victory.
The tribunal, in a unanimous judgement delivered on Wednesday, April 2, by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, found that the petitioners failed to prove allegations of over-voting and non-compliance with electoral laws during the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
PDP and Ighodalo had challenged the declaration of Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging irregularities. The suit named INEC, APC, and Okpebholo as respondents.
