Politics
Edo: S’Court Reserves Verdict On Ighodalo’s Case Against Okpebholo
The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, reserved its judgement on an appeal that is seeking to nullify the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State.
The appeal, marked: SC/CV/536/2025, was brought before the court by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate in the governorship election held in the state on September 21, 2024, Asuerinme Ighodalo.
The Appellants are praying the court to set aside the May 29 judgement of the Court of Appeal which dismissed their case and affirmed Governor Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the valid winner of the gubernatorial contest.
PDP and its candidate maintained that the appellate court failed to properly evaluate the case they filed to challenge the outcome of the election which they insisted was not conducted with substantial compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.
READ ALSO:Ighodalo, PDP Tender Over 1000 Documents At Edo Election Tribunal To Upturn Okpebholo’s Victory
A five-member panel of justices of the Supreme Court adjourned to deliver judgement in the matter after all the parties adopted their final briefs of argument.
While the PDP and its candidate prayed the court to upturn the concurrent decision of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, on the other hand, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC; governor Okpebholo and the APC, urged the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the outcome of the election.
The apex court panel, led by Justice Garba Lawal, said it would communicate the judgement date to the parties.
It will be recalled that a three-member panel of the Appeal Court, led by Justice M. A. Danjuma, declined to nullify Governor Okpebholo’s election.
READ ALSO:Edo Gov’ship Tribunal: PDP, Ighodalo Close Case With 19 Witnesses
The appellate court held that it found no reason to dislodge the May 15 judgement of the tribunal which validated the result of the election announced by the INEC.
The Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member panel tribunal had dismissed as lacking in merit, petitions by the PDP and its candidate; the Action Alliance, AA, and its National Chairman, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje; as well as a case that was brought before it by the Accord Party, AP, and its own candidate, Dr. Bright Enabulele.
INEC had declared that Okpebholo of the APC secured a total of 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ighodalo of the PDP, who got a total of 247,655 votes.
Dissatisfied with the result, the petitioners approached the tribunal, alleging that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
READ ALSO:JUST IN: Tribunal Dismisses Ighodalo’s Petition, Affirms Okpebholo As Gov
In the petition marked: EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, PDP and its candidate alleged that Governor Okpebholo did not secure the highest number of lawful votes that were cast at the election.
It was equally the contention of the petitioners that INEC failed to serialise and pre-record some of the sensitive materials that were deployed for the poll, a situation they said aided the rigging of the election in favour of the APC and its candidate.
Specifically, PDP and its candidate alleged that there was wrong computation of results in 765 polling units in the state, even as they produced 19 witnesses that testified and tendered exhibits before the tribunal.
Among the exhibits the petitioners tendered before the tribunal, a total of 153 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVA, machines that were used in 133 polling units.
READ ALSO:Ighodalo Heads To Appeal Court As Tribunal Affirms Gov Okpebholo’s Victory
According to the petitioners, results from the polling units were manipulated at the collation centres, a situation they said resulted in over-voting, in Okpebholo’s favour.
In its judgement, the tribunal held that the petitioners failed to, by way of credible evidence, establish why the outcome of the election should be set aside.
It held that the onus of proving that Governor Okpebholo was unduly returned by INEC rested squarely on the petitioners, a legal burden it said was not successfully discharged.
According to the tribunal, the PDP and its candidate merely dumped exhibits before it without demonstrating them through competent witnesses as required by the law.
READ ALSO:Nigeria’s First Female Fighter Pilot Shines In Ghana
It held that most of the witnesses who testified for the petitioners gave hearsay evidence, stressing that the failure to produce polling unit agents, presiding officers or voters who participated in the election to testify proved fatal to the case of the petitioners.
The tribunal held that section 137 of the Electoral Act did not preclude the petitioners from producing necessary and competent witnesses to testify in support of their case.
It further dismissed the contention of the petitioners that, contrary to the provision of section 73(2) of the Electoral Act, INEC failed to pre-record most of the materials that were deployed for the election.
More so, the tribunal held that none of the BVAS machines tendered before it were switched on to demonstrate that the number of votes recorded in the disputed polling units exceeded the total number of accredited voters.
Following the affirmation of the judgement by the appellate court, PDP and Ighodalo took the case before the Supreme Court.
Politics
Ekiti 2026: APC Aspirant Slams Oyebanji For Threatening Party Leaders
An All Progressives Congress aspirant in the 2026 governorship election, Kayode Ojo, on Sunday, tackled Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, for threatening party chairman in the local government area and wards not to entertain any other contender.
Ojo, who said that the governor’s waning popularity had pushed him to desperation, said, “This threat is not only ludicrous, but also vexatious and aptly demonstrates to all and sundry that the governor intends to turn the APC into his private fiefdom and family inheritance.”
The APC aspirant, represented by the Chairman, Consultative Forum of Kayode Ojo, Olukayode Oluyemo, who spoke at a press conference in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, expressed confidence that Ojo would win the party’s October 27, 2025 primary election despite alleged attacks and harassment from Oyebanji’s camp.
He restarted his determination to govern Ekiti State to redress what he called “the inexplicable stagnation ravaging Ekiti State despite the huge monthly allocation from the Federation Account as well as the state’s potential for development and growth.”
READ ALSO:Ekiti Govt Issues BEDC Seven-day Ultimatum Over Power Outage
He spoke in reaction to a statement credited to Oyebanji on Friday while receiving his APC expression of interest and nomination forms from a group within the Ekiti State University Alumni Association, which obtained the forms for him.
Oyebanji was quoted to have said, “I want to see the local government, I want to see the local government chairman and the ward chairman of APC that will open their doors and offices for these people. I want to know the party member that will receive them.”
But Ojo described the governor’s threat as a “violation of APC Constitution on the issue that members of the party are free to associate and to hold meetings with any aspirant in as much that they belong to the same party. We are members of APC, I don’t see why the governor is violating this constitutional provision.
“It is our party, so we are calling on the national executives of our party in Abuja to caution him so that he will not destroy APC.
READ ALSO:
“The governor is as well violating the Nigerian constitution, which has made it very clear that everybody has the right to associate. Everybody has the right to switch, I mean to pick your candidates and hold meetings at anywhere as long as you are not holding the meeting to rob or to cause criminal activities.
“So Mr Governor of Ekiti State should trust softly, be a democrat, obey the constitution of Nigeria and obey the constitution of our party, APC”.
Oluyemo, who said that Ojo’s friends and supporters, who had provided cash for his nomination and expression of interest forms, disclosed that they would pick the forms at APC National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday.
He said that the group had been mobilising APC members ahead of the forthcoming primaries to enable Ojo pick the party ticket, saying, “The problem we have been having is attacks from the side of the government, which probably feels that there should not be any opposition.
READ ALSO:
“We are not opposition members. We are members of the same party.
We only have our preferred aspirant, who we are backing to emerge as flagbearer.”
The group’s chairman, who alleged that Ojo’s supporters were being framed up and arrested for fictitious offences, called on police leadership in the state and at the federal level “to provide a level playing ground for all APC members to choose and follow their preferred aspirants preparatory to the party’s governorship primary election.”
He stated, “We equally plead with the leadership of APC in Ekiti State to eschew partisanship and embrace all governorship aspirants as one in the APC family.
READ ALSO:
“We also plead with President Bola Tinubu and the national leadership of our great party to caution Governor Oyebanji against ordering the arrest, harassment and maiming of APC members in Ekiti State. The forthcoming primary election is not a do-or-die affair,” he said.
Oluyemo urged supporters “to remain steadfast, law abiding and patriotic and unshakably loyal to the cause by stepping up mobilisation efforts across the 16 local government areas of the state without any fear as the day of liberation draws near”.
Politics
Benue Assembly Gets New Speaker
Benue State House of Assembly on Sunday elected Alfred Emberger as its new speaker.
The appointment came shortly after the resignation of the former speaker, Aondona Dajoh.
The new speaker is one of the four members suspended last Friday for attempting to remove the former speaker.
At the plenary session held on Sunday and presided over by the deputy speaker, Lami Danaldi-Ogenyi, the house resolved to lift the suspension on the four members.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Benue Assembly Speaker Aondona Dajoh Resigns
The majority leader, Saater Tiseer, who said that the plenary was an emergency one, moved a motion for the lifting of the suspension on the four members and was seconded by Samuel Jiji of Logo state constituency.
The deputy speaker said, “Following the motion raised by the majority leader and supported by members of the house, this house has resolved to lift the suspension of the four members.”
After lifting the suspension, the four members were ushered into the chamber, and the nomination of the new speaker was announced.
A member representing the Makurdi South state constituency, Douglas Akyaa, moved a motion and nominated Emberger for the position of new speaker, seconded by Abu Umoru of the Apa state constituency.
READ ALSO:BREAKING: Benue Assembly Suspends Four Members For Attempting To Impeach Speaker
While there was no other nomination, the new speaker took the oath of office administered by the Clerk of the house, John Hwande
The new speaker, in his acceptance speech, commended the former speaker for his service and commitment to the progress of the house and the people of the state.
He further said, “To my esteemed colleagues, I assure you that this leadership will be anchored on inclusiveness, fairness and respect for diverse opinions.
“This house under my watch will work harmoniously with the executive and judiciary while maintaining our independence in line with the principle of separation of powers.”
Politics
JUST IN: Benue Assembly Speaker Aondona Dajoh Resigns
The Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Aondona Dajoh, has resigned from his position.
According to Channels TV, the resignation is contained in a letter dated August 24, 2025, and titled “Resignation as the Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly.”
Dajoh said his decision was made in good faith and in the interest of the state.
“I write to resign my position as the Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, effective today, August 24, 2025. This is done in good faith and in the best interest of the state. I want to appreciate my dear colleagues for the opportunity they gave me to be the first among equals,” the letter, personally signed by Dajoh, read in part.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Benue Assembly Suspends Four Members For Attempting To Impeach Speaker
Dajoh, who represents Gboko West State Constituency, pledged to continue serving as a legislator.
“I pledge to remain committed to my duties as a legislator and representative of Gboko West State Constituency,” he added.
Details about who will replace Dajoh had not been released at the time of filing this report.
The House is expected to follow its standing orders to fill the vacancy and name a new speaker in line with legislative procedure.
-
Headline5 days agoUK Bans Sanex Advert For Calling Black Skin ‘Problematic’, White Skin ‘Superior’
-
News5 days agoNigerians Call For Mandatory DNA Tests At Birth
-
News5 days agoYoruba Elders Wade In As Alaafin, Ooni Feud Escalates
-
Headline5 days agoWhy I Plotted President Trump’s Assassination – 50-yr-old Woman
-
Metro3 days agoCustoms Seize N905m Rolls Royce, Other Contrabands In Ogun
-
Headline4 days agoJUST IN: Uganda Reaches Agreement With US To Take Migrants
-
Headline4 days agoViral TV Judge Frank Caprio Is Dead
-
News3 days agoBREAKING: FG, State, Local Governments Share N2.001trn July Revenue
-
Headline5 days agoTrump Slams US Museums For Focus On ‘How Bad Slavery Was’
-
News4 days agoJUST IN: Okpebholo Nominates Another 5 Persons As Commissioner-designates