The election victory of Senator Adams Oshiomhole as the lawmaker representing Edo North Senatorial District of Edo State has been affirmed by the National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Benin.
The tribunal on Monday, affirmed the electoral victory of Oshiomhole, a former Governor of Edo State as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
OsunDailyNG reports the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, Senator Francis Alimikhena had approached the tribunal, claiming that the election that produced Oshiomhole did not follow the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
He also urged the tribunal to nullify the election of the former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman on the alleged ground of non-transmission of election results through the use of BVAS machine to IREV Portal.
However, in a unanimous judgment on the suit marked EPT/ED/SEN/02/2023, the three-man Tribunal panel in a judgement delivered by Justice Alero Akeredolu, held that the petitioners failed woefully to prove their case, adding that they could not rely on the weakness or strength of the respondents to prove their cases against Oshiomhole.
The Judges held further that the petitioners failed to tender any relevant document before the tribunal to prove a case of non-compliance as contained in their petitions.
The petition against Oshiomhole was thereafter dismissed in its entirety.
APC Wins House Of Rep Challenge
In a similar development, the tribunal upheld the election of Prof. Ihonvbere Onozuanvbo Julius, candidate of the APC as the winner of the House of Representatives election to represent Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State.
In a unanimous decision, the tribunal dismissed the petition marked EPT/ED/HR/03/2023 which was filed by Jimoh Iruokhaime ljegbai and the PDP challenging Ihonvbere’s election.
The Judges agreed with the submission of the lead lawyer to Ihonvbere that Ojeiu’s petition failed and ought to be dismissed with punitive cost.
