Edo Showdown: APC and PDP Clash Again Over Tribunal Verdict

On Thursday, the People's Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress once again sparked a verbal confrontation regarding the verdict issued by the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday, which confirmed the triumph of APC’s candidate Godwin Obaseki as governor.

While the PDP rejected the judgment as a violation of judicial impartiality, the APC hailed it as a reaffirmation of the people’s will.

On Wednesday, under the leadership of Chief Judge Wilfred Kpochi, the tribunal rejected the PDP's appeal and confirmed Governor Okpebholo’s triumph from the APC in the election held on September 21, 2024.

The tribunal said the petitioners could not prove the allegation of over-voting, thus affirming that Okpebholo scored the most valid votes in the election.

The claims presented by the petitioners challenging Okpebholo's triumph were deemed invalid.

The decision has garnered varied responses, with the PDP along with their candidate, Asuermine Ighodalo, pledging to challenge it further, whereas the APC commended the judicial system for delivering what they termed a significant verdict.

The PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, asserted in a statement that their candidate emerged victorious in the September 21, 2024 election. They also characterized the tribunal’s ruling as a violation of judicial standards.

The party indicated they would lodge an appeal, confident that the Court of Appeal would conduct a comprehensive judicial examination to guarantee fairness for the residents of Edo State.

The national leaders of the People's Democratic Party have conducted a comprehensive analysis of the ruling from the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and declare that this decision represents a clear injustice and a total breach of faith with the expectations of Nigerians, specifically those residing in Edo State.

“The PDP insists that with the avalanche of evidence as properly presented and also duly admitted by the tribunal, it was clear that its candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, won September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election, having scored the highest number of valid votes cast in the election.

"It is deeply concerning that even though the tribunal’s extensive evidence and conclusions clearly indicated the PDP had been deprived of an evident win at the polls, due to manipulation such as improper vote distribution to the All Progressives Congress, unjust annulment of legitimate PDP votes, the election tribunal ended up contradicting itself by reaching a decision inconsistent with its own observations," the statement said.

The opposing political group asserted that the verdict issued by the tribunal represented a substantial risk to the faith Nigerian citizens placed in democratic processes and the management of election-related conflicts.

In the interim, the PDP urges the residents of Edo State to stay steadfast and not let the outcome of the election tribunal diminish their trust in both the judicial system and democracy within Nigeria," the statement said. "They look forward to regaining the support entrusted to our party and candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, during the polls.

The Edo State chapter of the PDP also urged party members to rise from the temporary setback of the tribunal judgment, as it vowed to appeal the ruling.

The chairman of the state PDP Caretaker Committee, Tony Aziegbemi, expressed disagreement with the tribunal’s decision affirming Okpehbolo's electoral win through an official statement on Thursday.

He stated that his party felt their candidate had been rightfully chosen by the majority of voters during the election and they intended to pursue this issue with the appeals court.

Even though we regard the judiciary with utmost admiration as a political entity and acknowledge the ruling, we firmly oppose the outcome of the tribunal.

We firmly believe that our candidate in the election, Asuerinme Ighodalo, was rightfully chosen by the majority of voters, and we are confident that we have presented ample evidence to support our claims before the tribunal.

"It is with this belief that we urge all our members to swiftly overcome this minor obstacle and arise stronger as we proceed to present our case before the appellate court," the statement read.

Nevertheless, the PDP caretaker committee chairperson urged members to maintain their optimism.

Nevertheless, the APC praised the tribunal for upholding Okpebholo's triumph in the gubernatorial election.

On Thursday, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, stated in an announcement that the ruling also validated the wishes of the residents of Edo State.

The APC showed faith that winning would encourage Okpebholo to keep up with effective governance and bring more democratic advantages to the citizens of the state.

This historic ruling confirms the strong backing of the voters from Edo State for the APC's candidate during the gubernatorial election held on September 21, 2024.

It also serves as validation for the collective desire of the decent citizens of Edo State.

"We welcome the judicial system’s thoroughly reasoned ruling on this issue, highlighting its autonomy, expertise, and dedication to bolstering democracy within our nation," the statement read.

The gathering likewise commended the residents of Edo State for their strong endorsement of the APC during the latest election, along with their patience and ongoing support through all the legal processes.

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