Edo2024: Tribunal concludes pre-hearing and reserve rulings on motions until judgment day

The Edo State 2024 Governorship Election Tribunal on Thursday concluded pre-hearing proceedings for two petitions challenging the outcome of the 2024 gubernatorial election, won by the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpehbholo.

The cases, filed by Ugiagbe Odaro Sylvester and Allied Peoples Movement, Akhimien Kingston Afeare and Action Democratic Party, were heard under separate suits (EPT/ED/GOV/05/2024 and EPT/ED/GOV/06/2024) at the tribunal sitting at the High Court premises in Benin City.

During the pre-hearing, all parties were duly represented, and motions were moved and argued before the tribunal which has reserved rulings on all pending motions until the final judgment day.

In the first suit, Ugiagbe Odaro Sylvester & Anor. vs. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) & 2 Ors., the petition was filed on November 13, 2024, while replies from the respondents were filed by December 2024.

Counsel for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respondents namely Senator Monday Okpehbholo, the APC and INEC, moved motions seeking to strike out the petition, terming it baseless and a waste of judicial time. They supported their motions with affidavits and written addresses. However, the petitioners filed counter-affidavits, opposing the motions.

Similarly, in the second case, Akhimie Kingston Afeare & Anor. vs. INEC & 2 Ors., the petitioners’ submissions and respondents’ replies followed a similar timeline, with both parties adopting their respective filings before the Tribunal.

The respondents also moved motions to strike out certain paragraphs of the petition, citing incompetence even as the petitioners countered with affidavits and written submissions in compliance with Tribunal rules.

In both matters, the Tribunal adjourned rulings on the motions to the final judgment day even as it further adjourned the cases to January 20, 2025, for a report of hearing, signaling the next stage in the adjudication process.