The hearing of the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, challenging the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo, was postponed on Monday due to a related case involving the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Supreme Court.
The three-man tribunal, chaired by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, had earlier scheduled the hearing for January 13, 2025, following the presentation of pre-hearing reports on December 21, 2024.
However, during Monday’s session, the tribunal was informed of an adjournment request from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and APC. According to Dayo Dahunsi, the tribunal’s Assistant Secretary, both parties sought to delay proceedings until January 15, 2025, citing their lead counsel’s involvement in a Supreme Court case scheduled for January 14, 2025.
Counsel for the petitioners, Ken Mozia (SAN), represented by Oladipo Oshinowo, expressed no objection to the adjournment request but insisted that such delays should not recur. He acknowledged that the petitioners were prepared to commence trial but conceded in the interest of cooperation.
Justice Kpochi granted the adjournment and rescheduled all related petitions for Wednesday, January 15, 2025.
INEC had declared Senator Monday Okpebholo, the APC candidate, winner of the Edo State governorship election on September 22, 2024, with 291,667 votes, defeating PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes.
