Tribunal begins hearing on pettions to determine Obaseki’s fate

The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Monday began hearing on the four remaining petitions filed against the re-election of Governor Godwin Obaseki at the September 19, 2020 election.

The Tribunal had earlier on December 11, 2020 dismissed a petition by the Action Alliance (AA) and its governorship candidate, Ukonga Onaivi for falling to file a pre-hearing notice.

However, the Justice Yunusa Musa-led three-member tribunal continued sitting on Monday in Benin, the Edo State capital on the four remaining petitions.

The remaining petitions were filed by Action Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Iboi Emmanuel; Action Peoples Party, without joining its governorship candidate, Amos Areloegbe; Allied Peoples Movement, excluding its governorship candidate, Igbineweka Osamuede, and Tracy Agol, without joining her political party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party.

Read also: APC vows to appeal ruling on Obaseki’s certificate forgery case

The petitions are praying the tribunal to cancel the September 19 election in the state and order another election that will exclude Obaseki, his deputy, Phillip Shuaibu and their party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

The tribunal had on Monday heard the petitions of APP and Agol, with the hearing to be concluded today, Tuesday, while that of APM would also be heard today and concluded on Wednesday.

ADP, whose petition would be heard on Wednesday also, has two days to call all their witnesses, with the witnesses cross-examined immediately by the counsel to the respondents.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that a case of forgery brought against Obaseki by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), William Edibor, was dismissed by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

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