Edo Poll Dispute: INEC Tenders Results Before Tribunal
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has tendered before the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal the results of the September 21 governorship poll it conduct in the state, among other documents.
INEC’s lawyer, Abdullahi Aliyu, (SAN) tendered the results at the resumed sitting of the tribunal in Abuja on Wednesday.
Aliyu also tendered a certified true copy (CTC) of a document, which he said contains the declaration of the results as well as a copy of INEC’s Regulations & Guidelines for the conduct of elections, 2022.
Lawyer to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo (who are challenging the outcome of the election), Adetunji Oyeyipo (SAN), said they were not opposed to the admissibility of the three documents in evidence.
Oyeyipo observed that his clients’ had also annexed the same documents while presenting their case, to establish their claim.
Lawyer to the APC’s candidate in the election, now Governor Monday Okpebholo, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) and APC’s lawyer, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), did not object that the documents be admitted in evidence by the tribunal.
Justice Wilfred Kpochi, who is the chairman of the three-member panel tribunal, proceeded to announce that the documents are admitted in evidence and marked accordingly.
Aliyu subsequently told the tribunal that his client plans to start calling witnesses on Thursday.
He said INEC intends to call it’s five scheduled witnesses within five days as against the 10 days earlier allocated to it.
Aliyu said most of the witnesses would be coming from Benin, Edo State, to testify before the panel.