The All Progressives Congress, APC, has prayed the 2024 Edo Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, challenging the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
In a motion by its counsel, Ferdinand Orbih, SAN, on Wednesday, the APC described the PDP petition as incompetent.
Orbih informed the three-man panel, sitting in Benin that the PDP petition was not filed in accordance with the extant law, adding that the tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
According to him, further grounds for seeking the dismissal of the petition are contained in the motion paper dated November 30, and supported by a seven-paragraph affidavit.
However, 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 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 the petition.
The PDP counsel, however, countered the application, urging the tribunal to dismiss the APC’s motion for lack of merit.
Justice Kpochi, however, discountenanced the argument of the APC, saying rulings on all preliminary motions would be delivered on the final judgment day.
Earlier, the PDP also moved four different motions, calling on the tribunal to expunge various paragraphs in the replies of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, APC and Okpebholo to its petition.
In the end, the tribunal adjourned to Dec. 21 for the parties in the case to file a common proposal that would guide the tribunal during the hearing.
It was reported that the PDP is challenging the declaration of Okpebholo as the winner of the Sept. 21 election by the INEC.
INEC said Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat PDP’s Ighodalo, who recorded 247,274 votes.
