Edo Reps candidate files petition at tribunal

From Tony Osauzo, Benin

The All Progressives Congress House of Representatives candidate for Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency of Edo State in the just concluded National Assembly election, Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonyinma, has filed a 142-page petition before the State Election Petitions Tribunal, challenging the outcome of the February 23 election.

 The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Jude Ise-Idehen, the winner of the election. But Agbonyinma, in his‎ petition, urged the tribunal to declare him winner of the election.

 Speaking to newsmen on Friday night in Benin City shortly after filing his petition, Hon Agbonyinma said he wanted to reclaim his mandate ‘that was stolen by some dubious  characters in the INEC in collaboration with of some PDP leaders and security men and women’.

 He insisted that he won the election, but that some INEC officials collaborated with some PDP leaders to perpetuate fraud by manipulating the electoral process. “I won the election and we are reclaiming our mandate back. We will go through the legal process to get our mandate. I am the winner and my mandate will be given back to me”, Agbonyinma said.

 ‎Similarly, a female lawmaker representing Ovia Federal Constituency and candidate of the PDP in the election, Hon. Omosede Igbinedion, has filed a petition before the Tribunal asking it to declare her winner of the February 23 National Assembly election. 

 Her APC opponent, Hon Dennis Idahosa, was declared winner of the election, but Omosede said she won majority of lawful votes in the election, saying she has several grounds to challenge the outcome of the election.

 She said: “There are several grounds which we intend to challenge the election. This mandate will be recovered. I was deeply saddened when I saw elected National Assembly members collecting their Certificates of Return and the person was sitting in the back seat. That is not supposed to be the position of Ovia Constituency.”

“We are going to prove that he is not worthy to be at the House of Representatives. I am asking the tribunal to declare me the winner.”