Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, who secured victory in the governorship election held on September 21, 2024, as declared in his favour by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), called a single witness to support his position before the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member tribunal.
Initially, Okpebholo had indicated that he would present about six witnesses.
However, he closed his defence after his only witness, Mr. Usman Mark, was discharged.
In his testimony, Mark, identifying himself as a farmer and stating that he served as an agent of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the election, insisted that the APC had won the contest.
Under cross-examination, he admitted that the number of votes recorded at Ovia South West Local Government Area, a stronghold of incumbent Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa, exceeded the number of those accredited to vote.
Shortly after Mark’s discharge from the witness box, Governor Okpebholo’s lead counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, informed the tribunal that no further witnesses would be called.
Consequently, the panel adjourned its proceedings until Wednesday to allow the APC to open its defence.
It will be recalled that INEC had, last Thursday, also closed its own defence of the gubernatorial poll without producing any witness to testify before the tribunal.
The Commission had declared that Okpebholo of the APC secured a total of 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Ighodalo of the PDP, who received 247,655 votes.
Aggrieved by the outcome of the poll, the PDP and its candidate approached the tribunal, praying it to nullify INEC’s declaration of the APC and Okpebholo as winners of the contest.
In the petition marked: EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, the petitioners contended that the governorship election was invalid due to alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act and argued that Governor Okpebholo did not secure the highest number of lawful votes cast.
Satisfied with evidence from 19 witnesses who testified and tendered several documents in support of their case, the petitioners closed their submission.
Earlier, INEC also presented a total of 153 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVA) machines used in the 133 polling units where the election results were disputed, along with a certified copy of the governorship election result.
