CITIZENS COMPASS– Barely 24 hours before the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal delivers it’s judgement, a purported document about the judgment has surfaced online.
The tribunal had previously scheduled April 2, 2025, for the formal delivery of its judgment regarding the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, challenging the outcome of the September 21, 2024, election.
The leaked ‘judgment,’ which appeared on social media, captured a split decision among the three-member panel led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi. According to the documents, two of the justices, Kpochi and A.B. Yusuf, ruled to dismiss the petition, while Justice A.A. Adewole gave a minority judgment in favour of Ighodalo.
In the leaked minority judgment, Justice Adewole argued that Governor Monday Okpebholo’s election should be nullified due to significant violations of the Electoral Act. He claimed that Ighodalo and the PDP had provided enough proof that their candidate should have received 243,113 votes compared to Okpebholo’s 210,326 votes, which would have changed the election’s outcome.
“The petitioners’ case was not rebutted, and they showed unit by unit how the actual total should be 243,113 votes, while the 2nd Respondent’s tally should stand at 210,326 votes—a clear reversal of the declared result,” Justice Adewole reportedly wrote.
On the other hand, the majority ruling by Justice Kpochi acknowledged that some irregularities occurred, such as improper documentation of serial numbers in EC 25B forms and cases of over-voting. However, the tribunal concluded that these issues did not significantly impact the election results.
Justice Kpochi stated, “The petitioners have not discharged the dual burden to the satisfaction of the law. Accordingly, the petition lacks merit and is hereby dismissed.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier declared Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner, with 291,667 votes, while Ighodalo of the PDP secured 247,655 votes. Dissatisfied with the results, Ighodalo and his party argued that the election was flawed due to improper handling of sensitive materials, which they claim led to rigging.
The case, officially registered as EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, questions the legitimacy of Okpebholo’s victory, with the PDP insisting that their candidate received the highest number of lawful votes. As the tribunal prepares to announce its ruling, the leaked documents have sparked debate over whether the final decision will align with what has already surfaced online.
