Breaking: Okpebholo Reacts to Edo Tribunal Judgment

• The Edo state governorship election petition tribunal in Abuja has upheld the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the APC, reaffirming his mandate as the duly elected leader of the state
• Okpebholo, in his reaction, described the tribunal's decision as a victory for democracy and the people of Edo state
• PDP and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, contested the election results, citing irregularities and electoral malpractices, but the tribunal dismissed the petition for lack of substantial evidence

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Edo state - Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted after the state governorship election petition tribunal in Abuja on Wednesday, April 2, affirmed him as the valid winner of the September 21 governorship election.

In a statement shared on his X page, Okpebholo insisted that the tribunal affirmed the mandate given to him by the people.

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He extended his gratitude to the people and the leadership of the APC and shared his plans for the development of Edo state.

Legit.ng reported that the Edo governorship tribunal affirmed Okpebholo as the duly elected governor of the state.

A three-member panel of the tribunal led by Wilfred Kpochi held that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, failed to prove the allegations against the respondents.

The PDP and its governorship candidate were seeking to nullify the victory of the APC and Governor Okpebholo.

The Abuja tribunal held that “no competent witnesses were called” to prove the averments in their petition.

Reacting to the Edo tribunal judgment, Okpebholo tweeted:

"Today, the Tribunal affirmed the mandate graciously given to me by the good people of Edo State. This victory belongs to God and to every Edo citizen who believes in our collective vision for a better, more prosperous state.

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"I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and its leadership for their unwavering support and commitment to democracy. With this judgment, we move forward with even greater determination to deliver practical governance and drive the transformation of Edo State.

"The journey continues. Together, we will make Edo great."

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Edo state governorship election petition tribunal in Abuja gave verdict on the Accord Party's petition against Governor Okpebholo.

This was after the tribunal reserved its ruling on the PDP and Asue Ighodalo's petition challenging Governor Okpebholo’s victory.

The lower court refused to nullify the election of Governor Okpebholo after the petitioners argued that the election was invalid by reason of corrupt practices and non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.

Edo guber 2024: APC, PDP react to leaked judgment

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the fake copies of the purported judgment of the Edo governorship election tribunal sparked controversies and speculations.

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Breaking: Edo Tribunal Gives Verdict on Accord Party's Petition against Gov Okpebholo

The leaked tribunal judgment flooded the internet on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, barely 24 hours before the tribunal delivered its verdict on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.

The APC and PDP both described the leaked judgment as fake copies of the purported tribunal judgment.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng