Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria – Copies of an unsigned document, wey be the purported judgment of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, don show up online, causing plenty wahala and speculation. Dis document, wey get the petition number for the case wey the Peoples Democratic Party and their governorship candidate, Asuerime Ighodalo file against Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, come out less than 24 hours before dem go deliver the verdict on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
Dis leak don raise serious questions about how true the document be, as many people dey wonder if na wetin de tribunal really decide. A copy of the document wey The PUNCH see show say na split judgment, as two of the three tribunal justices dey rule in favor of Okpebholo, while the third one dey disagree.
The tribunal panel led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, get Justice A. B. Yusuf wey join the chairman to uphold Okpebholo’s election, while Justice A. A. Adewole dey side Ighodalo. According to the document, Justices Kpochi and Yusuf dismiss the petitioners’ claims, talk say although irregularities show for the election, dem no be substantial enough to change the outcome.
Dey quoted Supreme Court precedents, dem hold say the margin of victory no change even with the discrepancies wey dem see. But Justice Adewole wey disagree, insist say di total valid votes show say Ighodalo get 243,113 votes while Okpebholo get 210,326. He rule say the election invalid because e no comply with the Electoral Act and order say the Independent National Electoral Commission go issue fresh Certificate of Return to Ighodalo. He further talk say the PDP’s claims no get serious counter, and evidence dey show say results wey dem declare no correct.
As di official judgment still dey pending, this leaked document don ignite plenty debate, leaving observers to dey question whether e truly reflect di tribunal’s final ruling or whether na just wahala wey people dey talk.
