The Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has adjourned its proceedings until January 15, citing a conflicting matter scheduled for hearing at the Supreme Court.
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The adjournment followed an application submitted by the lead counsel representing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, who are the first and second respondents in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, over the September 21, 2024 election.
The Assistant Secretary to the Tribunal, Dayo Dahunsi, explained that the request for adjournment was due to the lead counsel’s obligation to appear before the apex court on January 14 for a matter slated for a definite hearing.
Reading the letter of adjournment, Dahunsi noted: “The application for adjournment is premised on the fact that the counsel to the second respondent has a matter scheduled at the Supreme Court on January 14, 2025.”
The Tribunal will resume proceedings immediately after the counsel’s Supreme Court engagement.
“We kindly request the indulgence of this honourable tribunal and confirm that all counsel and parties involved have been duly served via e-mail and WhatsApp.”
While reacting to the application, Oladipo Oshinowo, who held the brief for the lead counsel to the petitioners, Ken Mozia, SAN, stated that he was not opposing the application, in the spirit of cooperation.
Oshinowo said: “On behalf of the petitioners, we are prepared to commence the trial on January 14, 2025. However, the letter for adjournment was submitted to our lead counsel by the registry late yesterday (January 12), wherein the first and second respondents are seeking an adjournment, but did not include a hearing notice for the Supreme Court matter referenced.
“Nevertheless, in the spirit of cooperation and fairness, we reluctantly concede to the request, on the condition that no further adjournment requests will be made by the respondents, in the interest of justice and equity.”
Counsel to the All Progressives Congress (the third respondent), Josephine Ogagaworia, did not object to the application.
The Chairman of the three-member tribunal, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, then adjourned until tomorrow (Wednesday) for the hearing of the petition.
It will be recalled that during the December 9, 2024, inaugural sitting of the tribunal at the Edo High Court Complex on Sapele Road, Benin, many thugs stormed the venue, with some politicians and their supporters attacked and pelted with stones and other dangerous weapons.
Numerous colourfully dressed members of the APC and supporters of Okpebholo were at the venue of the tribunal’s sitting when the thugs suddenly invaded the area and injured some persons.
The rowdy situation was quickly brought under control by vigilant and fully armed security operatives as the tribunal’s sitting was ongoing during the thugs’ invasion of the court complex.
The Edo governorship election was won by Okpebholo, who was inaugurated on November 12 last year.
Seven of the 18 political parties that participated in the election and filed petitions at the tribunal were the PDP, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Accord (A), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and Action Alliance (AA), which sought their candidates to be declared winners of the keenly contested poll.
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