Supreme Court throws out Ighodalo, PDP’s Case against Okpebholo

By emmanuel MALAGU

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the Appeal filed by Asue Ighodalo and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against the Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo.

Justice Garba Lawal who delivered the Judgment dismissed the Appeal for want of merit.

Ighodalo was represented by Ken Mosia who had prayed the Apex Court to remove Okpebholo and pronounced him as Winner of the Election.

His ground was that he scored Majority of the Lawful Votes in the Election.

While the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC represented by Kanu Agabi had asked the Court to dismiss the Appeal in its entirety.

Agabi argued that Ighodalo and PDP had in their Petition stigmatised as Invalid and Unlawful on ground of Non Compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.

The Electoral Body said having declared the Election as Unlawful and Illegal, Ighodalo and PDP cannot turn around and pray the Court to declare them as Winners of Illegality.

INEC accused Ighodalo and PDP of being inconsistent in their grievances against the Election and pleaded that their Case be dismissed for want of merit.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on May 29, upheld the Election of Okpebholo as the Governor of Edo.

The Court dismissed the Case of Ighodalo in the September 21, 2024 Governorship Election.

Delivering Judgment, a Three-Member Panel of the Appellate Court led by Justice Mohammed Danjuma, unanimously held that the Appeal by Ighodalo was unmeritorious and dismissed it.

The Court held that the Appellants failed to show that the Election Tribunal erred in its Decision and proceeded to affirm the Judgment of the Tribunal delivered.

However, Ighodalo rejected the Judgment and said the Verdict of the Appellate Court would be contested at the Supreme Court. 

Credit NAN: Texts excluding Headline