SUPREME COURT ADJOURNS INDEFINITELY ON EDO GUBER ELECTION PETITION

The Supreme Court has adjourned indefinitely its judgment in the legal battle over the Edo State Governorship Election Petition challenging the election of Monday Okpebholo. Justice Garba Lawal, who presided over the hearing of the appeal filed by Asue Ighodalo and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), announced that the date for delivery of the judgment would be communicated to parties involved.

Ighodalo, through his counsel Ken Mosia SAN, urged the Supreme Court to nullify Okpebholo’s election and declare him the rightful winner, citing that he scored the majority of lawful votes in the election. “We urge the court to invalidate Okpebholo’s return and declare our client as the duly elected governor, based on the actual lawful votes cast,” Mosia argued.

However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), represented by Kanu Agabi SAN, countered that Ighodalo and the PDP had previously described the September 21, 2024, polls as invalid and unlawful due to non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022. Agabi emphasized that having discredited the election, Ighodalo and the PDP cannot now seek to benefit from it. “You cannot discredit an election and at the same time seek to benefit from it,” Agabi stated.

Agabi further accused Ighodalo and the PDP of inconsistency in their grievances against the election, pleading with the court to dismiss their case for want of merit. “If the election is unlawful as claimed, then no one can be declared winner from it,” he said.

The PDP and Ighodalo have been contesting Okpebholo’s election, having lost at both the Tribunal and Appeal Court levels. The Appeal Court in Abuja upheld Okpebholo’s election on May 29, dismissing Ighodalo’s case. Now, Ighodalo is banking on the Supreme Court to see merit in his case and overturn the outcome of the Edo State governorship election.