Tribunal dismisses SDP’s petition against Okpebholo as party withdraws case

The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has dismissed the petition filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) seeking to nullify the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo.

The three-member panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, struck out the case on Tuesday after SDP’s counsel, Jackson Ehiavhie, formally withdrew the petition. Ehiavhie informed the tribunal that the party’s National Secretariat had directed them to discontinue the case.

With no objections from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Okpebholo, or the All Progressives Congress (APC), the tribunal ruled to terminate the proceedings.

SDP was among six political parties that had initially petitioned the tribunal, challenging Okpebholo’s Certificate of Return as the winner of the September 21, 2024, governorship election. The party had argued that the election was conducted in violation of the Electoral Act and INEC’s guidelines, alleging irregularities, including the failure to electronically transmit results from polling units.

Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, closed their case at the tribunal on Monday after calling 19 witnesses. The tribunal has scheduled INEC’s defence to begin on Wednesday, February 5.