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Jane Otu, South South
DAILY COURIER - A civil society group, the Edo Alliance Group, has expressed strong confidence that Governor Monday Okpebholo and his party will emerge victorious in the ongoing election petition tribunal. This reassurance comes amid concerns over the party’s decision to present only one witness before closing its case at the tribunal sitting in Abuja.
The group dismissed criticisms regarding the limited number of witnesses presented by the All Progressives Congress (APC), arguing that witness testimonies are not the sole determinant of success in election petitions. Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, the group’s national coordinator, Osato Idemudia, described the tribunal proceedings initiated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, as judicial theatrics that amounted to a waste of time.
“We are certain that Governor Okpebholo will emerge victorious at the tribunal. All the talk of not presenting witnesses is immaterial. Judicial theatrics by the PDP and Asue Ighodalo amounts to a waste of judicial time,” Idemudia said.
He further referenced the 2019 presidential election petition tribunal, where the APC and then-President Muhammadu Buhari emerged victorious without the need for extensive witness testimonies.
“For anyone who has followed election petition tribunals in this country, it is clear that calling witnesses is not the fulcrum of success. In 2019, the APC and President Buhari did not need to present many witnesses to defeat the PDP and other parties at the tribunal, and this won’t be any different,” he added.
Idemudia urged Ighodalo and the PDP to abandon their case, just as other political parties had done, in the interest of peace and progress in Edo State. He noted that several parties, including the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Allied People’s Movement (APM), had already withdrawn their cases.
“It is germane for the PDP and Asue Ighodalo to take a cue from other parties like the ADP, ZLP, and APM and abandon their case. They lack merit in their pursuit other than to excite their handful of supporters that the party is alive, while in reality, the party is gasping for breath,” he stated.
Idemudia also criticized the PDP’s internal struggles, highlighting the defection of several members as evidence of the party’s diminishing influence in Edo State.
“A party in which its members are fighting themselves and decamping by the hour has no place in Edo State. It is wishful thinking for them. There should be an end to distractions, and it is expedient that the PDP and its candidate allow the governor to concentrate on the mandate freely and creditably given to him to deliver the dividends of democracy to the Edo people,” he added.
Speaking on Governor Okpebholo’s first 100 days in office, Idemudia praised his administration for taking decisive steps to restore good governance in the state. He lauded the governor’s efforts in tackling corruption, rehabilitating roads, and improving key sectors such as health, education, and state-owned media.
“Can you not see how serious the governor is with governance? In under 100 days, he suspended senior appointees over alleged corruption. That shows that the Edo treasury is safe with him. Roads are having quick fixes, and adequate measures are being taken in other areas such as health, education, state-owned media outfits, and so many others,” Idemudia said.
The tribunal’s final ruling remains highly anticipated, but supporters of Okpebholo and the APC remain optimistic that the governor’s mandate will be upheld.
