....party releases leaked tribunal judgement, says nothing will stop Okpebholo from being declared winner
The Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarret Tenebe, has declared victory for his party and its candidate in the 2024 governorship election, Monday Okpebholo, ahead of the State Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal judgment set to be delivered tomorrow, Wednesday, April 2, 2024.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday ahead of the tribunal’s ruling, Tenebe said that nothing will stop Governor Monday Okpebholo from emerging victorious at the tribunal tomorrow.
In the petition at the tribunal, the PDP and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo are challenging the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission to declare Okpebholo of the APC as the winner of the poll, alleging that the election was marred by irregularities.
The three-member tribunal, headed by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, had, on March 3, reserved judgment in the petition after parties adopted their final written addresses following documentary evidences provided by the PDP to prove their petitions.
However, Tenebe during is press briefing on Tuesday said nothing will stop Governor Monday Okpebholo from emerging victorious at the tribunal on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
Tenebe and his party social media influencers had in the early hours of Tuesday released leaked Tribunal Judgment in favour Okpebholo, and circulated same across social media.
Sources have however revealed that the APC had secured the judgement after paying N10bn to the judges.
“Let me make it categorically clear that nothing will stop Governor Monday Okpebholo from emerging victorious at the tribunal on Wednesday, April 2, 2025,” Okpebholo was quoted saying at the press conference.
The tribunal had, on January 31, admitted in evidence 148 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System Machines that were used during the conduct of the disputed governorship poll.
The electronic devices were tendered by a Senior Technical Officer in the ICT Department of INEC, Anthony Itodo, and admitted into evidence by the panel to prove the electoral manipulation.
The petitioners, among other things, contended that the governorship election was invalid because of alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
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