The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has adjourned the commencement of the petition filed by Dr. Asue Ighodalo and the Peoples Democratic Party, challenging the declaration of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the winner of the September 21 election.
The hearing, which was originally scheduled for Monday, will now begin on Wednesday.
The adjournment followed applications from the lead counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission and Governor Monday Okpebholo, the 1st and 2nd respondents in the petition. Both parties requested the delay due to prior commitments.
The Assistant Secretary to the Tribunal, Dayo Dahunsi, informed that the applications filed by the respondents sought the adjournment to Wednesday.
He further explained that the lead counsel for both respondents had informed the court that they were scheduled to appear before the Supreme Court for a matter on definite hearing today.
Oladipo Oshinowo, who represented the petitioners in the absence of lead counsel Ken Mozia, stated that they were not opposing the adjournment in the spirit of cooperation. However, he emphasized that this concession was being made with the understanding that no further requests for adjournments would be made by the respondents.
Counsel for the 3rd respondent, the All Progressives Congress, Josephine Ogagaworia, also indicated no objection to the request for the delay.
According to the results announced by INEC, Okpebholo won the election with 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes.
