As of March 7, 2025, the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has yet to announce a definitive judgment date for the contentious September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election dispute, despite swirling rumors suggesting otherwise.
The tribunal, chaired by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, reserved judgment on March 3, 2025, following the adoption of final written addresses by all parties involved. This development has kept political stakeholders and citizens on edge as they await a resolution to the legal battle between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, and the declared winner, Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Truth Live News report on March 3 noted that Justice Kpochi stated, “A date for judgment will be communicated to parties by the secretary of the tribunal,” signaling an indefinite pause after a rigorous legal process.
The PDP and Ighodalo have challenged the election outcome, citing alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act of 2022, over-voting, and irregularities such as non-serialized ballots and erroneous vote computations. Their legal team presented 19 witnesses and 154 BVAS machines to substantiate these claims, while the APC countered with four witnesses, asserting the election’s integrity.
Speculation intensified when posts on X claimed March 10, 2025, as the judgment date. However, credible sources, including a post by @Esteembehemoth on March 7, urged the public to “disregard any rumour speculating on social media that the tribunal has fixed Monday 10th March 2025 as the date for judgement,” clarifying that “no date has been fixed as of today.” This aligns with Justice Kpochi’s earlier assurance, dispelling misinformation and highlighting the need for official confirmation.
The tribunal’s proceedings, relocated to Abuja from Benin City in January due to security concerns, have been marked by tension.
The PDP argues the election was marred by malpractices across 765 of 4,519 polling units, per Ken Mozia (SAN), while INEC’s counsel, Kanu Agabi, dismissed the petition as meritless, noting the absence of a nullification request among the reliefs sought. As the wait continues, the outcome will determine whether Okpebholo’s victory stands or if Edo State faces a potential re-run, shaping its political landscape. For now, all eyes remain on the tribunal’s next official move.