The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo.
The Supreme Court gave the judgment in a unanimous decision this Thursday, by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba. They dismissed the appeal of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Asue Ighodalo, filed to nullify the outcome of the governorship election held in the state on September 21, 2024.
The Supreme Court says it lacks merit and it found no reason to set aside the concurrent judgments of both the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which returned Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the valid winner of the gubernatorial contest.
It says Ighodalo failed to adduce credible and admissible evidence to substantiate his claim that the election was marred by irregularities that included over-voting and substantial non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.
Likewise, it held that the Appellant failed to call relevant witnesses to demonstrate some of the evidence he tendered in support of his case, especially the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines.