Edo Governorship Election: Tribunal Dismisses Petition Against Obaseki

The Edo State governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Benin City has dismissed a petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) and Ukonga Frank Onaivi against Godwin Obaseki, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The tribunal in its ruling read by one of the tribunal’s members, Justice Suleiman Yahaha Abubakar, ruled that in the petition against the first and second respondents, the petitioner having failed to file the pre-hearing notice is deemed to have abandoned the petition.

Also, in the petition against the third respondent, the tribunal held that the pre-hearing notice was not filed within time.

The tribunal also delivered its ruling on the respondent’s oral objection seeking to dismiss the petition Agol Tracy Ebun filed against INEC, the PDP, and Godwin Obaseki, on the grounds of non-compliance with the rules of filing of the pre-hearing notice.

Also overruled was the application seeking to dismiss the petition of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) against INEC, the PDP, Godwin Obaseki, and Philip Shaibu for non-compliance with filing of pre-hearing notice, and ruled that there was full compliance on the part of the petitioner in all the petitions.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Yunusa Musa subsequently adjourned the two petitions till Monday the 14th of December.