Edo Governorship Tribunal Set To Hear 290 Witnesses In Ighodalo Vs Okpebholo Petition

The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Benin City has revealed that a total of 290 witnesses are expected to testify during the hearing of the petition challenging the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo in the September 21, 2024 election.

The petition was filed by Asue Ighodalo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and his party, contesting the declaration of Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The chairman of the three-man tribunal, Justice Wilfred Ikpochi, made the disclosure over the weekend during the presentation of pre-hearing reports and scheduling for the hearing.

According to Ikpochi, the proposed witnesses were outlined in a harmonized pre-hearing proposal. However, the tribunal did not specify the breakdown of witnesses each party would call.

He stated that the parties would only call witnesses who had submitted sworn statements or had been subpoenaed where necessary.

“The petitioners shall call their witnesses within 21 days or less, while each of the respondents shall have 10 days or less to present theirs,” Justice Ikpochi said.

He also noted that expert witnesses could be called as indicated in the pre-hearing answers submitted by the parties.

The tribunal emphasized its commitment to strict adherence to the timelines stipulated by the Electoral Act 2022.

“All pleading documents shall be rendered and admitted by the tribunal, with objections reserved for final addresses. Frivolous and unnecessary applications for adjournments will not be entertained,” Ikpochi warned.

The tribunal also outlined the following:

– Written addresses by counsel must not exceed 40 pages, formatted with double spacing and 14-point font size.

– No consolidation of the petition with others will be allowed, as no such applications were submitted.

– No further amendments to the petition are permitted.

– Interrogatories directed at INEC and Governor Okpebholo, as filed in motion No-EPT/ED/GOV/02/M10/2024 on December 6, 2024, have been granted.

Justice Ikpochi adjourned the case to January 13, 2025, for the commencement of hearings. The tribunal will sit daily from 10 a.m., excluding Sundays and public holidays, with the schedule subject to review based on workload exigencies.

Justice Ikpochi urged all counsel involved in the matter to adhere strictly to tribunal rules and maintain professionalism. He highlighted the need for efficiency, given the time-sensitive nature of election petitions.