Justice Garba Lawal of the Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the appeal challenging the victory of Senator Monday Okpeholo in the September 21, 2024, Edo state governorship election.
The apex Court, on Wednesday adjourned the judgment indefinitely after taking arguments for and against Okpebholo’s declaration as the winner of the Edo state Governorship Election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Garba Lawal of the Supreme Court, who presided over the hearing of the appeal filed by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Asue Ighodalo and his party, said the date for the delivery of the judgment would be communicated to the parties in the matter.
Ighodalo, whose appeal was argued by Ken Mosia, SAN prayed the Supreme Court to remove Okpeholo and pronounce him as the winner of the election on the ground that he scored the lawful majority votes in the election.
In its submission, INEC, represented by Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, asked the apex Court to dismiss the appeal in its entirety.
Agabi argued that Ighodalo and PDP had, in their petition, stigmatised the election as invalid and unlawful on the grounds of non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.
The electoral body said, having declared the election as unlawful and illegal, Ighodalo and PDP cannot turn around and pray the court to declare them as winners of illegality.
INEC accused Ighodalo and PDP of being inconsistent in their grievances against the election and pleaded that their case be dismissed for want of merit.
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