Edo Governorship Tribunal Adjourns to Commence Hearing of PDP’s Petition on January 13

*290 witnesses expected to testify for and against outcome of election

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The 2024 Edo Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has adjourned to January 13, 2025, for the commencement of the hearing of the petition filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo against the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 21 election.

The petitioners, Ighodalo and the PDP are challenging the declaration of Okpebholo as the winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to INEC, Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat PDP’s Ighodalo, who recorded 247,274 votes.
Reading the adopted pre-hearing report yesterday, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Wilfred Kpochi,  in the petition marked: EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024 Ighodalo Asuerinme & Anor Vs INEC & 2Ors, said the parties agreed to call a total of 290 witnesses.

He said the report outlined the timeframe for the examination of witnesses, with 40 minutes allocated for examination-in-chief for each star witness, 30 minutes for cross-examination by the petitioners, and 20 minutes for cross-examination by each respondent.
Other agreements reached by the parties include the allocation of 10 minutes for re-examination of each star witness and 25 minutes for examination-in-chief for other ordinary witnesses.

The petitioners are expected to call their witnesses within 21 days or less, while respondents will have 10 days each to call their witnesses.
According to the report, the tribunal would sit daily from 10 am, except on Sundays and other public holidays gazetted by law.
Justice Kpochi said there shall be no consolidation of the petition with any other as there was no application in respect thereof and no amendment of such shall be entertained.

The chairman said parties agreed to call only witnesses whose statements on oath had been frontloaded and may call subpoenaed witnesses where necessary.
According to him, there shall be interpreters for some witnesses from English to any native language like Benin, Esan, and Auchi dialects and vice versa.
The tribunal which delivered its pre-hearing report substantially in line with the harmonised proposal of counsel, therefore, fixed January 13, 2025, for the commencement of the hearing of the petition.