Edo State Attorney General, AG, and Commissioner for Justice, Samson Osagie, PhD, asserted at the weekend that the petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo at the September 21, 2024 gubernatorial poll failed because they failed to back up their allegations with concrete evidence but were rather throwing tantrums.
Newsmata.com.ng reports that the Edo Election Petition Tribunal which sat in Abuja, on Wednesday dismissed the petition of the PDP and Ighodalo, it’s candidate, for lacking in merit.
The AG spoke to newsmen on the sideline of the 10th year remembrance anniversary of his late father, Pa Samson Imarhiagbe-Ogbewe held at the family compound in Urhokuosa, in Uhunmwode local government area of Edo State which attracted several dignitaries and well-wishers.
He said Okpebholo’s victory at the tribunal was a reaffirmation of practical governance as currently being witnessed in the state with the flag-off of massive projects across the state.
According to Dr. Osagie, “The tribunal judgement, for the APC and the Governor, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was merely stating the obvious. We know that Okpebholo won the election on September 21st , 2024 therefore, it could not have been otherwise for a tribunal that was confronted with no evidence of the allegation of malpractices by those who have petitioned.
“It is not enough to allege, it is not enough to throw tantrums that I won the election, but you must demonstrate that you won. This, the PDP and its candidate failed woefully to do. How do you defend and prosecute an election petition when you did not call any eyewitness in any part of the state? You can’t go and forge papers and dump them in the court and ask the court to start reading all that.
“If the courts were to start looking at the documents and opening the BVAS, studying it, they will probably need to go to Harvard and study how to operate the machines. It was the duty of the petitioner to lead the tribunal to understand what they mean using the equipment they brought to court.
He further noted that the governor is more determined in delivering people.. -oriented, projects adding that the Okpebholo administration in Edo State is Go-ordained.
On his father’s 10th year memorial anniversary, Osagie thanked all those who came and stood by the family over the years, and noted that the family would continue to honour and imbibe their late father’s legacy of hard work.
The occasion was attended by APC stalwarts including Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, former deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, Osareitin Edosomwan, Edo commissioner for Finance, Emmanuel Okoebor, among other personalities.
PDP Lost At Tribunal Because It Failed to Prove Its Case With Concrete Evidence – Osagie, Edo AG
