The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) filed a petition contesting Governor Monday Okpebholo’s election, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the 2024 Edo Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal to reject it.
The APC called the PDP petition incompetent in a motion presented on Wednesday by its attorney, Ferdinand Orbih, SAN. Orbih informed the three-member panel that the PDP’s appeal was not submitted in compliance with the current legislation while they were in Benin. In addition, he claimed that the panel lacked the authority to consider the case.
Orbih claims that other grounds for requesting the petition’s rejection are included in the Nov. 30 motion paper and backed up by a seven-paragraph affidavit.
In its counter-argument, the PDP through its counsel, Ken Mozia, SAN, urged the tribunal to discountenance the submission of the APC.
Mozia explained that the PDP had filed a reply and counter-affidavit to challenge the APC’s motion.
The tribunal’s chairman, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, however, reserved ruling on the motion until the final day of the case.
In another motion, APC asked the tribunal to strike out some paragraphs in the petition filed by the PDP and its candidate in the election, Dr Asue Ighodalo.
While arguing the application, Orbih urged the tribunal to deliver its ruling on the motion before it commenced hearing into the petition.
The PDP’s counsel, however, countered the application, urging the tribunal to dismiss the APC’s motion for lack of merit.
