The All Progressives Congress (APC) urged the 2024 Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Benin Metropolis, Edo State, to dismiss the petition by the Folks’s Democratic Party (PDP) petition difficult Governor Monday Okpebholo’s victory.
The APC in a movement argued by its counsel, Ferdinand Orbih, SAN, throughout a pre-hearing sitting of the tribunal, described the petition as incompetent.
Orbih advised the three-man panel, that the PDP’s petition was not filed in accordance with the provisions of the regulation.
Consequently, he mentioned the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
In accordance with him, additional grounds for searching for the dismissal are contained within the movement paper dated Nov. 30, and supported by a seven-paragraph affidavit.
In its counter-argument, the PDP by way of its counsel, Ken Mozia, SAN, urged the tribunal to low cost the argument of the APC.
Mozia defined that the petitioners had filed a reply and counter-affidavit to problem the movement.
Nevertheless, the tribunal’s chairman, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, reserved ruling on the movement till the ultimate day of the case.
In one other movement, the APC requested the tribunal to strike out some paragraphs within the petition filed by the PDP and its candidate within the election, Dr Asue Ighodalo.
Whereas arguing the applying, Orbih urged the tribunal to ship its ruling on the movement earlier than it commenced listening to the petition.
The PDP’s counsel, nevertheless, countered the applying, urging the tribunal to dismiss it for lack of benefit.
Justice Kpochi reductions the argument of the APC, saying rulings on all preliminary motions can be delivered on the ultimate judgment day.
Earlier, the PDP had moved 4 totally different motions, calling on the tribunal to expunge varied paragraphs within the replies of the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC), APC and Okpebholo to its petition.
In the long run, the tribunal adjourned to Saturday for the events within the case to file a typical proposal that may information the tribunal in the course of the listening to.
Recall that the PDP is difficult the declaration of Okpebholo because the winner of the Sept. 21 election by the INEC.
The INEC mentioned Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat PDP’s Ighodalo and the Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata who recorded 247,274 and 22,763 votes respectively
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