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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal yesterday adjourned the commencement of hearing of the petition filed by Dr. Asue Ighodalo, and his party, PDP, challenging the declaration of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the winner of the September 21st governorship election to Wednesday, January 15.
The hearing, which was slated to commence yesterday (Monday), was adjourned following applications filed by the Lead Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Governor Monday Okpebholo, the 1st and 2nd respondents to the petition, praying the court for the adjournment.
At the Tribunal sitting yesterday, the Assistant Secretary to the Tribunal, Dayo Dahunsi Esq., announced that there was a pending application from the 1st and 2nd respondents seeking adjournment of the sitting to Wednesday, January 15, 2025.
He stated that the Lead Counsel to the two applicants had explained in their application that they would be before the Supreme Court on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, in a matter slated for definite hearing.
The applicants, Dahunsi further stated, said their requests also applied to other petitions against their clients before the Tribunal.
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Oladipo Oshinowo, who held the brief of the Lead Counsel for the petitioners, Ken Mozia, SAN, while reacting to the application, said he was not opposing it in the spirit of cooperation.
“Though we are ready and prepared to commence trial today, a copy of the letter seeking adjournment was sent to our Lead Counsel by the registry late yesterday, wherein the 1st and 2nd respondents are seeking an adjournment.
“We are constrained to concede to this request for adjournment on the strength of the undertaking that such a request for adjournment shall not be made by the respondents in future,” he said.
On her part, Counsel to the 3rd respondent (All Progressives Congress), Josephine Ogagaworia, did not object to the application as Justice Wilfred Kpochi adjourned sitting to Wednesday for the hearing of the petition.
According to the election results announced by INEC, Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat PDP’s Ighodalo, who recorded 247,274 votes in the governorship election.
