Politics
Edo Tribunal: Ighodalo, PDP showcase more witnesses
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In continuation of presentation of its case, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alongside its candidate for the September 21, 2024 Governorship Election in Edo State, Dr Asue Ighodalo, on Wednesday fielded three more witnesses from three local government areas in the state.
Recall that the PDP and its candidate in the election are challenging Independent National Electoral Commission’s declaration of Governor Monday Okpebholo, of the All Progressives Congress as the winner.
The petitioners at Tuesday sitting commenced its presentation of witness as three witnesses drawn from Ikpoba-Okha, Akoko-Edo, and Owan West Local Government Areas testified in support of the petitioners’ claims.
Justice Wilfred Kpochi led three-man Tribunal later adjourned sitting to Wednesday for continuation of hearing of the petition.
At the resumption of proceedings on Wednesday, the witnesses of the PDP and its candidate gave testimonies before the court, claim wide spread irregularities marred the conduct of the poll in their local government areas.
Destiny Oghayerio Enabulele, led in evidence by counsel to the petitioners, Abiodun Owonikoko, said that in arriving at the averment on his witness statement on oath, he personally examined documents used in the election which include but not limited to certified true copies of INEC’s summary of the Wards collation results.
“These are documents I personally examined carefully to arrive at my witness statement on oath. There was not prior recording of sensitive materials deployed by INEC to 19 polling Units in Ovia South West Local Government Area,” he said.
When asked by counsel to the respondents whether he participated in the makings of the documents he used to arrived at his statement on oath, Enabulele said that he only participated in the making of Form EC8C (Ward Collation result).
However, there was a mid-drama when the petitioners’ witness from Etsako West Local Government Area, Babah Idenobhe, told the court in his testimonies that there was over voting in three polling Units (units 021-023) amin his local government area.
It was however, discovered that some of the documents the witness claimed to have relied on in arriving at his statement on oath were certified by INEC on January 8, 2025, while his statement on oath was deposed to October 10, 2024.
“One of the materials I took into consideration in my deposition is the original certified true copies of polling units results, photographed with with the BIVAS machines”, he posited.
Also, Moses Agbukor, from Etsako East Local Government Area, who functioned in the exercise as Collation Agent for his party PDP in the LGA, in his testimonies also claimed over voting and non prior recording of sensitive materials.
The witness had earlier prayed the court to admit his Party’s Ward Collation Agent Tag, as well as his witness statement on oath as evidence for the petitioners.
Meanwhile, Kalu Agabi, SAN, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, and Ukala, SAN, who are counsel to the INEC, Okpebholo and the APC respectively objected the admissibility of the tendered documents, but reserved their grounds to the final written addresses.
The Chairman of the Tribunal, Kpochi, in his ruling, said the documents were provisionally admitted in evidence.
He then adjourned the sitting until Thursday, January 22, 2025 for continuation of hearing.
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.
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