By Sebastine Ebhuomhan
Thursday, 29th May, 2025. Abuja. All Progressives Congress (APC)-elected governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, the man ex-governor Godwin Obaseki as well as his godson and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Asuerinme Ighodalo, both loath to admit as a master and better strategist, defeated them for the third time on Thursday as the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja affirmed Okpebholo’s free, fair, credible, peaceful and populous election victory.
Delivering a most anticipated judgement on all the appeals and cross-appeal filed against the election of Okpebholo, the appellate court’s three-member panel of judges unanimously struck out all the appeals for lack of merit and inability to sustain arguments to prove allegations of malpractices and over-voting, particularly lashing the main petitioners, Ighodalo and the PDP, for taking a gamble with their meaningless appeals.
Okpebholo, who scored 291, 667 votes to defeat the runner-up, Asuerinme Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with 247, 655 votes in the Saturday, 21st September, 2024 governorship election, had also unanimously defeated Ighodalo and the two other appellants at the Election Petitions Tribunal that sat in both Benin City, Edo State and later Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.
There were three appeals and one cross-appeal for the day’s judgment. Okpebholo had a cross-appeal marked: CA/ABJ/EPT/ED/GOV/04/2025 that opposed Ighodalo’s appeal marked: CA/ABJ/EPT/ED/GOV/01/2025. The other two appeals were filed by the Action Alliance (AA) through its National Chairman, Rufai Omoaje, and the Accord Party (AP) through its candidate Bright Enabulele. The court opted to consolidate all the appeals as one against the cross-appeal.
Beginning with the cross-appeal filed by the respondent/appellant, Okpebholo, the court allowed his cross-appeal after admitting that it was filed timeously and transmitted within the time limit under Sections 167 and 169 of the Evidence Act and after also admitting the cross-appeal’s objection to the admissibility of 133 BIVAS machines, which the appellants tactically did not open to prove their allegations at the tribunal even when Ighodalo tendered them as prime evidence.
The court highlighted the appellant/respondents for their inability to sustain their arguments with relevant witnesses by their deliberate refusal to call relevant witness. Importantly, the court nailed them for pleading no relief, especially as “the court has no jurisdiction to grant to a petitioner any relief that was not pleaded.” The court further underlined the fact of the appellants’ failure to tabulate their correct score after everything, obviously because they were not sure of their votes.
Delivering his judgement, Honourable Justice Mohammed Danjuma said, “There is no merit in this appeal. This appeal is hereby struck out. It would be right if we had dismissed it, not merely striking it out. As you can see in this appeal, it was simply a gamble.”
Speaking immediately after the judgement, Edo PDP Chairman, Anthony Aziegbemi, who represented Ighodalo in court, disagreed with the Appeal Court judges and the judiciary. He said the party’s lawyers would obtain and copiously study the judgment before heading to the apex court. “We will file an appeal at the Supreme Court after studying the judgment.”
Reacting to the victory, Governor Okpebholo called on Ighodalo to accept the judgment of the Court of Appeal that, once again, affirmed his victory.
“The Court of Appeal, in its well-considered judgment delivered on Thursday, meticulously reviewed the arguments presented by all parties and ultimately upheld the decision of the lower tribunal, validating the overwhelming mandate freely given to me by the people of Edo State.
“This judgment, being a confirmation of the people’s will, should serve as a clear signal for all political actors, especially Asue Ighodalo, who has since been abandoned by his political godfather, Godwin Obaseki, to set aside partisan differences and join hands with the administration to build a more prosperous Edo State.
“This ruling is not just a victory for our party, the ruling All Progressives Congress, but a triumph for democracy and the rule of law in our Edo State.”
Okpebholo, who was represented in court by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa and his party leaders ably led by Edo APC Secretary, Mr. Lawrence Okah, commended the judiciary for its diligence and commitment to justice before urging all citizens to be calm and law-abiding.
In a review, Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Dr. Samson Osagie, lauded Appeal Court Justices and the Judiciary for painstakingly analysing the legal submissions of all the parties to the appeals. The appellate judgement, Right Honourable Osagie added, has further dispensed justice to the matter in favour of the governor of Edo State and the people of the state in general. He called on Governor Okpebholo to continue the pursuit of his development agenda for the state while urging all well-meaning people of the state to support the governor in his patriotic determination to make the reality of a new Edo State.
Mr. Sebastine EBHUOMHAN is an award-winning journalist and a media consultant from Edo State, who freely supported Monday Okpebholo to become governor. He can be reached on: usie007@yahoo.com and 08037204620.
Discussion about this post