Edo Tribunal: Orbih, Ojezua, Nehikhare differ on judgement

As the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, affirmed the electoral victory of Monday Okpebholo as the duly elected governor of the state, some politicians have expressed divergent opinions on the judgement.

DAILY POST reports that the three-man panel headed by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, on Wednesday, in its judgement validated the electoral victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo, a candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the September 21, 2024 governorship election in the State.

Okpebholo defeated Dr Asue Ighodalo, a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and 15 other candidates to be declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Those that spoke at a separate interview on the phone are Chief Dan Orbih, the PDP National Vice Chairman, South South, Chris Nehikhare, Publicity Secretary, PDP Caretaker committee in Edo State and Barrister Anslem Ojezua.

While Orbih said the tribunal has spoken and that they cannot question what it said, Chris Nehikhare, however, expressed disappointment at the tribunal three-man panel for its judgement.

Orbih, who blamed the party's woes on Governor Godwin Obaseki, however, advised that with the judgement, the party should do everything possible to bring those that Obaseki allegedly chased away during the primary election.

According to him, “Following the judgement, the PDP will now work on how to bring those who had left the party during the primary election which produced Asue Ighodalo and start the process of rebuilding the party in the state.

“I blame the party's woes in the election on governor Godwin Obaseki, who chased everybody away from the party.

“Unfortunately, the man (Obaseki) who brought distress, division and disaster to PDP in Edo has since fled the country.

“Today, I didn't see his face among those at the tribunal waiting patiently for the outcome of the tribunal judgement.

“As it is now, it is for lawyers in the petition to study the verdict of the tribunal and take decisions after a careful study of the well established verdict.”

Also, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party said it was disappointed with the judgment of the three-man tribunal.

The State Publicity Secretary, PDP caretaker committee, Chris Nehikhare said the party is waiting to get the Certified True Copy of the judgement.

He said after getting the Certified True Copy, the party would study it and then take decisions on the next line of action to take.

On his part, Barr. Anslem Ojezua, who left the PDP for the APC after the PDP primary, said he was not surprised that the tribunal dismissed the PDP petition for lack of merit.

Ojezua said the next thing Dr Asue Ighodalo should do was to congratulate Governor Okpebholo and join hands with him to solve the problem confronting the people of the state.

“If everyone professes that they are in politics because of the interest of the people and communities, they should understand that this is not the time to play politics, so that governance can take place”, he added.

He, however, noted that the verdict was clear “because there is a difference between legal issues and sensational issues”.