The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, on Monday, adjourned till Wednesday, January 15, for the commencement of a full hearing on the petition filed by Dr Asue Ighodalo and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, challenging the declaration of Governor Monday Okpebholo as the winner of the September 21, 2024, election.
Following the election held on September 21, Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes, defeating PDP’s Ighodalo, who recorded 247,274 votes.
The adjournment followed the application filed by lead counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission and Okpebholo, the first and second respondents to the petition, praying the court for adjournment.
Earlier at the Monday hearing, the Assistant Secretary to the tribunal, Dayo Dahunsi, informed the court that there was a pending application from the first respondent and the second respondent, seeking adjournment of the sitting to Wednesday, January 15, 2025.
He said the request was on the grounds that the lead counsel for the two applicants would be before the Supreme Court on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, in a matter slated for a definite hearing.
Dahunsi quoted the applicants to have said their requests also applied to other petitions against their clients before the tribunal.
Reacting to the application, Oladipo Oshinowo, who held the brief of the lead counsel for the petitioners, Ken Mozia (SAN), said he was not opposing the application in the spirit of cooperation.
He said, “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 first and second respondents are seeking an adjournment.
“We are constrained to concede to this request for adjournment on the strength of the undertaking that such request for adjournment shall not be made by the respondents in the future,” he said.
Counsel for the third respondent (All Progressives Congress), Josephine Ogagaworia, did not object to the application as Justice Kpochi adjourned the sitting to Wednesday for the actual hearing of the petition.