Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
The Edo State Election Petition Tribunal has reached a critical juncture in the ongoing legal battle between the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Governor Monday Okpebholo, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Barr. Asue Ighodalo, over the results of the recently concluded gubernatorial elections.
Amid heightened tensions, the tribunal has ruled decisively on key evidentiary submissions, a move that could significantly shape the final outcome of the case. In a major development, the court has admitted the Certified True Copies (CTC) of electoral documents and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) records as evidence.
The tribunal further overruled the objections raised by the 2nd and 3rd respondents regarding the admissibility of documents tendered by the petitioners, whether through the bar or their witnesses.
“All documents provisionally admitted are hereby substantially admitted in evidence,” the tribunal declared, marking a pivotal moment in the proceedings.
The tribunal also addressed the issue of amendments sought by witnesses, delivering mixed rulings:
The amendments sought were deemed inconsequential and were therefore granted.
Amendments sought by the witnesses were generally allowed.
However, the tribunal disallowed the amendments sought by PW6.
The amendment requested by PW8 was ruled as inconsequential and subsequently allowed.
PW12’s amendment was also granted.
With these rulings, the legal battle moves into its decisive phase as the tribunal now prepares for the final judgment.
The admission of BVAS and CTC documents could play a crucial role in determining the legitimacy of the election results. Legal analysts suggest that the tribunal’s decision to admit these documents strengthens the petitioners’ case, giving them a solid foundation to argue potential irregularities in the electoral process.
As both camps brace for the final verdict, the political atmosphere in Edo State remains tense. Stakeholders and political observers are keenly watching as the judiciary determines the fate of the election and, by extension, the governance of the state.