The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja has dismissed the petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) and its candidate, Adekunle Omoaje, challenging the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Delivering its judgment on Wednesday, the three-member tribunal ruled that the petition lacked merit and was frivolous.
AA and Omoaje had contested Okpebholo’s victory in the September 21, 2024, governorship election, alleging electoral malpractices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act. They claimed that the APC candidate did not secure the majority of lawful votes and that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wrongfully declared him the winner.
The petitioners further argued that AA was unlawfully prevented from fielding a candidate, as the party’s nomination form was not signed by its National Chairman.
INEC had declared Okpebholo the winner with 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 247,655 votes.
In its ruling, the tribunal held that Omoaje lacked the legal standing to challenge the election since he did not participate in the poll. It also determined that his claims, based on his non-recognition as AA’s National Chairman by INEC, had no legal foundation under the Electoral Act 2022.
As a result, the tribunal dismissed the petition in its entirety.
