The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Benin City recently made a decision regarding two petitions filed against the declaration of Dennis Idahosa as the winner of the Ovia Federal Constituency election. The tribunal dismissed the petitions due to lack of merit and incompetence.
The Petitions
The petitioners, Epele Asemota of the Labour Party (LP) and Barr Omosede Igbinedion of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), separately approached the court to challenge Idahosa’s victory. They claimed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not follow the rules of the Electoral Act, 2022, during the election. They also argued that the election was tainted by irregularities such as overvoting and multiple thumbprinting. Additionally, Osayuki Asemota and Omosede Igbinedion alleged that the BVAS machine was not used during the election.
The Tribunal’s Decision
The tribunal, led by Justice Yusuf Mohammed, dismissed both petitions because the petitioners failed to provide any evidence to support their claims. The three-man panel stated that it was the responsibility of the petitioners to prove issues like overvoting, corrupt practices, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act. The tribunal concluded that the declaration of Dennis Idahosa as the winner was valid, and therefore, the petitions were dismissed.
Reactions
Mr. Santos Owootori, the counsel to Omosede, expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict and announced their intention to seek redress from the court of appeal. On the other hand, Mr. Famous Osawaru, the counsel to Idahosa, praised the judgement, stating that it was based on facts rather than sentiment. He emphasized that the victory of Idahosa is a symbol of liberation for all the people of Ovia.
