Two petitions challenging the declaration of Dennis Idahosa as the victor of the Ovia Federal Constituency 25 February election were dismissed by the National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Benin for ineptitude and lack of merit.
In separate court filings, the petitioners Epele Asemota of the Labour Party (LP) and Barr Omosede Igbinedion of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) contested Idahosa’s victory.
When conducting the election, Asemota and Igbenediion claimed that INEC had failed to follow the rules set forth in the Electoral Act of 2022, as amended.
Additionally, they argued that multiple thumbprinting and overvoting tainted the APC candidate’s election victory.
Further allegations of non-use of the BVAS machine during the election were made by Osayuki Asemota and Omosede Igbinedion.
The tribunal, presided over by Justice Yusuf Mohammed, dismissed the two petitions in its ruling on the grounds that they lacked merit and that the petitioners lacked the necessary skills to make their cases.
The three-person panel determined that it was the petitioners’ responsibility to substantiate the allegations of excessive voting, corrupt behavior, and Electoral Act violations made in their petitions.
The petition has been dismissed, the tribunal claims, and the declaration of the third respondent (Idahosa) is valid.
Omosede’s attorney, Mr. Santos Owootori, responded to the verdict by expressing displeasure with it and stating that they would seek redress from the court of appeal.
Idahosa’s attorney, Mr. Famous Osawaru, praised the decision and added that it was founded on facts rather than emotion.
He added that his victory was a sign of liberation and that the mandate of the Ovia people could not be taken.
