As the Edo State Governorship Petition Tribunal approaches its conclusion, Senator Monday Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) face a turbulent period amid increasing evidence suggesting the September 21 governorship election was manipulated in their favor. This turmoil has led Okpebholo to seek the intervention of the Presidency in an attempt to influence the tribunal’s judgment.
The troubles for Okpebholo’s camp began when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the body that initially declared them winners, refused to defend its declaration and did not call any witnesses. The situation worsened for Okpebholo when his sole witness, under cross-examination, acknowledged that over-voting had taken place during the election.
The scenario further deteriorated as only three of the 24 expected APC witnesses appeared before the tribunal, with all three admitting to over-voting in their respective local councils. This significantly weakened Okpebholo’s defense and bolstered the petition filed by Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, challenging the election results. This led to an abrupt closure of their case amidst visible tension and anxiety.
According to sources close to him, Okpebholo appears to have lost hope and has reportedly turned to the Presidency in a desperate bid to safeguard his contested mandate. These sources indicated that there is a palpable sense of fear within the governor’s camp and the APC leadership, as the tribunal’s proceedings increasingly favor Ighodalo, raising the possibility of the election results being overturned.
The sources added that despite the President’s reluctance to grant Okpebholo an audience due to his poor management of local government affairs, the governor is exploring all possible avenues to reach the President and influence the tribunal’s outcome. Okpebholo has reportedly met with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who has pledged to intercede on his behalf.
Desperate to prevent the court from nullifying his victory, Okpebholo has made several promises. He has assured Akpabio that all votes from Edo for the Senate presidency will be directed to him and pledged his loyalty to the President, promising to deliver 100 percent of Edo votes in favor of the President in the next presidential election. Anxiety and uncertainty continue to mount within the governor’s circle as they await the tribunal’s final decision in the coming weeks.
