Politics
Edo: APC, PDP begin legal battle at tribunal today
- /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/APC-vs-PDP.jpg&description=Edo: APC, PDP begin legal battle at tribunal today', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/APC-vs-PDP.jpg&description=Edo: APC, PDP begin legal battle at tribunal today', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
The All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party say they are ready for legal battle as the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal commences hearing of the petitions challenging the outcome of the September 21, 2024 poll.
Independent National Electoral Commission declared the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, winner of the poll, while the PDP candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, was declared the first runner-up.
The PDP and Ighodalo, however, rejected the result of the poll, which they alleged was manipulated and therefore filed a petition before the tribunal.
Ahead of the tribunal’s pre-hearing today (Monday), the Edo PDP Caretaker Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, called for a fair examination of the evidence before the tribunal.
“That is what we expected the tribunal to do. Our lawyers will be there to show clearly that the election was stolen by the All Progressives Congress. For us as a party, we believe that the judiciary will look at the evidence that we have overwhelmingly to show that the election was stolen and we expect our lawyers to do justice to that.
“We expect the judiciary to look at the case dispassionately based on the evidence before them and take a decision that will have traces of justice,” he said.
On the other hand, the APC Publicity Secretary, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, expressed confidence in his party’s legal team and readiness to challenge the PDP’s petition.
He said: “We are prepared for the tribunal as we are respondent in the petition being filed. We have some of best hand in our legal team. We have also looked at the petition they filed and without prejudice to the case they filed, we want to say that we are ready to meet them in court.”
He added: “We are also ready to expose any PDP’s act that can be prejudicial to the case. We know that the calibre of those who have been appointed into the tribunal are people who are impenetrable and have proven integrity.”
Uwadiae-Igbinigie further stated: “We know the case they have filed against us and we have also filed our responses. Edo people will now know that the PDP has lost electoral value in the state while the APC government is ready to embark on programmes that will better the lot of Edo people.”
INEC had declared APC’s Okpebholo the winner of the election with 291,667 votes, defeating PDP’s Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes, and the Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata, who received 22,763 votes.
Dissatisfied with INEC’s declaration, the PDP and six other political parties have approached the tribunal to contest the result.
The tribunal, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, is set to hear seven separate petitions, with the PDP seeking to nullify the result and have Ighodalo declared the winner.
Other petitioners include the Accord Party, Social Democratic Party, and Allied Peoples Movement, each challenging the election results and naming INEC, Okpebholo, and the APC as respondents.
The Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has set up five-man reconciliation committee headed by Chief Obi Onwuachu.
The committee is mandated to reconcile all aggrieved members after the party’s primaries.
Other members of the committee are Ichie Mike Ejezie , Chief Amechi Chinweze, Chief Chris Akaghalu and Chief Mrs Tina Aronu
Their names were announced on Friday at the APC State Secretariat in Awka by the party during its expanded stakeholders meeting, led by the state chairman, Senator Emma Anosike.
The party used the occasion to ratify the expulsion of seven alleged recalcitrant members, who dragged the party to court in defiance to the APC’s constitution.
Furthermore, the party announced names of the three Senatorial candidates who emerged during the recent primaries in the state
They are Chief Mrs Chibuogwu Benson-Oraelosi for the South zone, Dr Mrs Ngozi Kene-Chiedu for the Central and Chief Kingsley Nnalue for the North .
Addressing the stakeholders,the state chairman, Senator Emma Anosike, declared that the party will do everything humanly possible to make sure that President Bola Tinubu wins the 2027 presidential election in Anambra.
He said: “Everything we are doing in APC belongs to Ward Chairmen, they hold everything.
“There is no bigger Party than APC in the coming 2027 elections in Anambra, anybody not proud of APC in Nigeria is making mistake. We must believe in the administration of Mr President, Bola Tinubu.
“If you are not a member of APC, you are not. Anyone that takes the party to court is automatically, expelled.
“This party is as strong as never before and every mobilization must go through the wards. We are entering operational election and not hide and seek election,” Anosike said.
An aggrieved political association, All Democratic Alliance, ADA, and its Protem Director of Mobilization, Ahidjo Ibrahim Karlahi have dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before the Federal High Court in Abuja praying for an order of the Court to compel the electoral body to withdraw the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, as a political party in Nigeria.
The grouse of ADA and Karlahi are predicated on allegations that the Senator Seriake Dickson led NDC was illegally and fraudulently registered by INEC as a political party for the purpose of participating in election matters in the country.
In a suit with number FHC/ ABJ/CS/1115/2026, the two plaintiffs alleged that INEC gravely breached, disobeyed, ignored, omitted and deliberately failed to ensure compliance with relevant laws in the ways and manners NDC was secretly registered.
Among others, Karlahi and ADA alleged that the electoral umpire failed to comply with sections 1, 6, 13, 14, 222, 251 of the 1999 Constitution and sections 75 and 79 of the Electoral Act in the registration of the NDC.
In the suit instituted on their behalf by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Bankole Joel Akomolafe via an originating summons, the two plaintiffs claimed that NDC never met any of the Constitutional requirements for it to qualify for registration as a political party.
Besides, they asserted that INEC has no unfettered and unrestricted discretion to register the NDC as a political party.
They therefore prayed the Federal High Court to issue an order against INEC to void, set aside, cancelled and revoke the purported certificate of registration in possession of NDC.
The two plaintiffs also sought order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from further recognizing, accepting, maintaining in its records or present any person on the authority of NDC as a political party for any election.
Another order of perpetual injunction was sought against NDC restraining it from parading, introducing, presenting or call itself a registered political party either by publication, broadcast or any other means.
The suit instituted on June 2, 2026 was supported by a 25 paragraph affidavit deposed to by the first plaintiff, Hon Ahidjo Ibrahim Karlahi.
While Ahidjo Ibrahim Karlahi and All Democratic Alliance are the two plaintiffs, INEC and Nigeria Democratic Congress are listed as the two defendants.
Meanwhile, no date has yet been fixed for hearing of the new suit.
Osborne Ubong Okon, a political aide to Prince Godwin Ntuk Udeh—the Political Adviser to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno—has been relieved of his duties after criticising President Bola Tinubu on social media.
The development comes amid rising national concerns over the security situation in the country, further highlighted by the recent abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State.
Taking to his Facebook page to express his frustration with the current situation, Mr. Okon, who identifies as a member of the ruling party, wrote:
“In a sane clime president Bola Ahmed Tinubu would’ve respectfully and honourably resigned. I’m of APC but truth be told.”
A few hours after the Facebook post went live, the office of the Political Adviser issued a letter terminating Mr. Okon’s appointment with immediate effect.
Governor Umo Eno has consistently maintained a good relationship with the federal government since defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in June 2025.
DSS intercepts arms shipment bound for bandit kingpin, nabs suspect
Toyin Adewale Says Marriage Is Not A Do-Or-Die Affair
Revenue: IMF asks FG to impose fuel, telecom taxes
-
News22 hours agoRetired Major General Dies in Bandits’ Captivity Despite Rescue Efforts
-
News18 hours agoDHQ Reacts As Ex-spokesperson, Gen. Radabe Dies In Bandits’ Den
-
News10 hours agoFinally, ex- Defence spokesperson, Rabe Abubakar buried in Katsina
-
News10 hours agoProtect Vulnerable Benue People From Persistent Attacks, Pope Leo XIV Tells FG
-
News10 hours agoTinubu condemns death of retired general Rabe in kidnappers’ custody
-
News10 hours agoBoard releases lists of successful NSCDC, NIS, NCoS applicants
-
News17 hours agoSpeaker Abbas expresses sadness over demise of Hon. Yaya Bauchi Tongo
-
News10 hours agoInsecurity: Kogi Bans Okada Operations In Bunu District, Night Travel
Warning: Undefined variable $user_ID in /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/themes/zox-news/comments.php on line 49
You must be logged in to post a comment Login