Ighodalo vs Okpebholo: Appeal Court Reserves Judgments in PDP’s Case Challenging APC’s Victory
- The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on appeals relating to the September 2024 Edo governorship election, in which APC’s Monday Okpebholo was declared the winner
- The PDP and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, alongside other parties, are seeking to overturn the tribunal’s ruling that upheld Okpebholo’s victory
- PDP and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, contested the election results, citing irregularities and electoral malpractices, but the tribunal dismissed the petition for lack of substantial evidence
TheTalk.NG journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
FCT, Abuja – On Thursday, May 15, the Court of Appeal, Abuja division, reserved judgments in three appeals and a cross appeal filed challenging the outcome of the September 21, 2024, governorship election held in Edo state in which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner.
A three-man panel of the court, presided over by Justice Mohamed Danjuma, reserved the date to be communicated to the parties after their final arguments.
The appeals heard include the one filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the election, Asue Ighodalo, and a cross appeal by the APC and Okpebholo.
The lawyers for the appellants while arguing the appeals prayed the court to allow their appeals and reverse the judgments of the election tribunal delivered on April 2.
Edo guber: APC, PDP lock horns in Appeal Court
Specifically, counsel for Ighodalo and the PDP, Robert Emukpoeruo, SAN, urged the court to allow the appeal and set aside the judgment of the tribunal, argued that, in relationship to the appellants’ allegations of non compliance, the tribunal failed to appreciate the nature of the non compliance complained of.
Emukpoeruo noted that there was no record of serial number on Form EC25B as required by Section 73(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022, adding that “The tribunal said we required evidence of polling agents or witnesses to prove how the forms were filled or not filled.
“That was not our case. Our case was that the Form EC 25B did not contain the serial number,” he said.
The appellants’ lawyer argued that the tribunal was also wrong to claim that the documents his clients tendered at trial were dumped on the tribunal.
Okpebholo defeated Ighodalo at tribunal
TheTalk.NG earlier reported that the Edo state governorship election petition tribunal in Abuja reserved its ruling on the PDP and Asue Ighodalo’s petition challenging Governor Okpebholo’s victory.
The lower court refused to nullify the election of Governor Okpebholo after the petitioners argued that the election was invalid by reason of corrupt practices and non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.
But the Edo state governorship election petition tribunal in Abuja upheld the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the APC, reaffirming his mandate as the duly elected leader of the state.
Okpebholo, in his reaction, described the tribunal’s decision as a victory for democracy and the people of Edo state.
Read more about Edo election dispute here:
Edo guber 2024: APC, PDP react to leaked judgment
Meanwhile, TheTalk.NG reported that the fake copies of the purported judgment of the Edo governorship election tribunal sparked controversies and speculations.
The leaked tribunal judgment flooded the internet on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, barely 24 hours before the tribunal delivered its verdict on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
The APC and PDP both described the leaked judgment as fake copies of the purported tribunal judgment.
Source: TheTalk.NG
