Governor Monday Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have secured a legal win as the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal dismissed a petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) and its factional leader, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje.

In its ruling on Wednesday, the tribunal declared the petition frivolous and lacking merit, stating that Omoaje had no legal standing (locus standi) to challenge the outcome of the September 21, 2024 Edo governorship election.

Tribunal’s Verdict

The tribunal held that Omoaje’s case was invalid because:

  • He did not participate as a candidate in the election.

  • His grievance was primarily about not being recognized as the National Chairman of Action Alliance (AA) for candidate nominations, which the tribunal ruled had no legal basis under the Electoral Act 2022.

Omoaje’s Claims

Omoaje had petitioned the tribunal to:

  • Nullify the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Okpebholo and APC as winners.

  • Claim that the election was compromised by corruption and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

  • Argue that APC did not secure the majority of lawful votes.

  • Insist that AA was denied the chance to nominate a valid candidate, as his signature as the party’s chairman was absent on the nomination form.

Election Results

INEC declared Okpebholo (APC) as the winner with 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo (PDP), who secured 247,655 votes.

With this ruling, Okpebholo and the APC have cleared their first major hurdle in the post-election legal battles.