The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the election of Monday Okpebholo as the Governor of Edo State, dismissing the petition filed by Asue Ighodalo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This decision reinforces the earlier ruling by the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which on April 2 dismissed Ighodalo’s petition for lacking merit.
The tribunal’s decision was based on the fact that Ighodalo’s team failed to prove allegations of over-voting and non-compliance with electoral laws.
The court also noted that no eyewitnesses were called to testify on alleged over-voting, making the allegations unbelievable.
Okpebholo, who ran under the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner of the September 21, 2024, governorship election with 291,667 votes, while Ighodalo polled 247,655 votes.
In response to the Court of Appeal’s decision, the PDP has vowed to contest the verdict at the Supreme Court.
The party’s determination to pursue the matter further has set the stage for a prolonged legal battle.
