The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to present any witnesses before the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja on Thursday.
At the tribunal’s resumed session, INEC did not provide any testimony to defend its declaration of Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the September 21st governorship election in Edo State.
The Commission had previously indicated, through its legal team led by former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi (SAN), that it would produce witnesses to support the result.
However, Agabi informed the tribunal that after further consideration, INEC decided not to present any witnesses.
This came just a day after the Commission had stated it had lined up five witnesses to testify in its defense.
“In light of further reflection after yesterday’s proceedings, we concluded that the best course of action is to close the case of the 1st Respondent, which we hereby do,” Agabi told the tribunal.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, expressed no surprise at INEC’s decision.
Their lawyer, Adetunji Oyeyipo, remarked that it was within INEC’s right to make such a choice, and they had no objection.
With no INEC witnesses and the case closed, the defense counsels for Governor Okpebholo, Onyechi Ikpeazu and D.C. Dewigwe, representing the APC, accepted the decision and requested an adjournment to gather their own witnesses
. The tribunal adjourned the case until Monday for Governor Okpebholo’s defense to begin.
INEC had previously declared Okpebholo as the winner with 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo of the PDP, who secured 247,655 votes.
