Edo 2020: Obaseki, PDP Know Fate In January

The Edo state governorship election petition tribunal has fixed January 11, 12, and 13 next year to hear petitions filed by four political parties against the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over September 19, 2020, election which conduct and the outcome they are contesting.

The Justice Yunusa Musa-led three-member new tribunal at yesterday’s sitting gave reports of the pre-hearing sittings of the last two weeks.

Justice Musa, assisted by Justices Suleiman Yahaya Abubakar and Olufunmilayo Stanley last week replaced the disbanded Justice Abdulrazak Abdulkareem-led three-member tribunal for undisclosed reasons.

The four other petitions now before the tribunal after the dismissal of the one filed by Action Alliance last week were those of Action Democratic Party (ADP) and its governorship candidate, Iboi Emmanuel; Action Peoples Party (APP), without joining its governorship candidate, Amos Areloegbe; Allied Peoples Movement (APM), excluding its governorship candidate, Igbineweka Osamuede; and Tracy Agol, without joining her political party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

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Chairman of the tribunal, at yesterday’s sitting, revealed that APP and Agol would have the trial in their petitions on January 11, with the trial in APM’s petition to be on January 12, while the trial in ADP’s petition would be on January 13 next year.

The four petitions are seeking the nullification of the September 19 re-election of Obaseki and Shaibu, while calling for fresh election by INEC, but to exclude PDP, Obaseki and his running mate, in view of the call for their disqualification over alleged forgery of their certificates.

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