The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to present its witnesses before the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja.
During the tribunal’s sitting on Thursday, INEC did not call any witnesses to defend its declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, as the winner of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
Led by former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi (SAN), INEC’s legal team informed the tribunal that the Commission would not produce any witnesses to testify on its behalf.
This announcement came just 24 hours after INEC had assured the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led panel that it had prepared five witnesses to support the election results in favor of the APC candidate.
INEC had previously persuaded the tribunal to adjourn proceedings to Thursday, citing the need for its witnesses to travel from Benin, Edo State, to Abuja.
However, at the resumed hearing, Agabi (SAN) explained that after reviewing the case, the legal team decided against presenting any witnesses.
“My lords, after we left you yesterday (Wednesday), we gave more thought to the matter and came to the conclusion that the sensible thing to do is to close the case of the 1st Respondent, which we hereby do,” Agabi told the tribunal.
On their part, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, said they were not surprised by the development.
“Frankly speaking, we are not surprised and it is well within the right of the 1st Respondent to show such a good discretion. We are not objecting,” the petitioners’ counsel, Adetunji Oyeyipo, stated.
Following the absence of INEC witnesses and closure of their case, counsels to Governor Okpebholo, Onyechi Ikpeazu, and D. C. Dewigwe, who represented the APC, said they were not opposed to INEC’s decision and pleaded for an adjournment to enable them to gather their witnesses and open their cases respectively.
Consequently, the panel adjourned the matter till Monday for Governor Okpebholo to open his defence to the petition.
INEC had declared that Okpebholo of the APC secured a total of 291, 667 votes to defeat his closet rivalry, Ighodalo of the PDP, who got a total of 247, 655 votes.