By Jethro Ibileke
Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), candidate in the 21 September governorship election in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, on Friday tendered 1,004 documents to back his petition challenging the declaration of Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC as the winner of the election.
Counsel to the Petitioner, Ken Mozia, tendered the documents on behalf of his client at the resumption of the hearing in the petition.
The 1004 documents were all admitted as exhibits by the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led Tribunal.
The documents included the Certified True Copies (CTC) of INEC declaration of results forms EC8A-E and Local Government Areas summary of results used for the conduct of the September 21, 2024 Governorship Election in the State.
Certified True Copies of Form EC8Cs, covering the 18 Local Government Areas in the State, Certified True Copies, CTC of Forms EC8B (Wards Results Sheets) used for the conduct of the election in the 192 Wards were also tendered.
Other documents tendered include 320 Certified True Copies of Form EC8A documents (polling Units results sheets), 318 CTCs of INEC’s Polling Units Booklets, each containing Form EC25D and 58 CTCs of Forms EC8A (IREV).
Mozia while tendering the documents, said the verification of the over 1004 documents was duly done in the presence of the lawyers of the parties and the Tribunal Registrar.
Despite, the objection to the admissibility of the documents by the respondent’s counsel which include Kanu Agabi, SAN, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN and VC Dewigwe, the tribunal admitted them as exhibits.
Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led tribunal, however, provisionally admitted all the documents tendered in evidence and marked them as exhibits.
“Learned counsel to the respondents shall state their reasons for their objections at the address stage,” Justice Kpochi said.
Thereafter, the Tribunal adjourned till Saturday, 18 January, 2025x for continuation of hearing as the Petitioners are expected to tender more documents in support of their petitions.