Edo election: ADP governorship candidate challenges Obaseki’s victory in tribunal

The Action Democratic Party (ADP) and its Governorship Candidate in the September 19 election in Edo, Mr Iboi Emmanuel, have filed a petition seeking to nullify Gov. Godwin Obaseki’s victory at the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

The petitioners are challenging the validity of Forms EC9 and CF001, submitted by Obaseki in respect of the 2020 and 2016 governorship polls in Edo.

Emmanuel is asking the tribunal to look at the list of Vice Chancellors of the University of Ibadan (UI), from 1947 to date, E-newspaper publication that announced the death of Prof. Tekena Tamuno, among other documents.

He alleged in his petition that Tamuno, who was the Vice-Chancellor of UI, from December 1975 to November 1979, could not have signed a certificate, which Obaseki allegedly presented to the APC for screening.

He also alleged that the purported university degree, which Obaseki claimed was issued by UI, had no date.

The ADP candidate therefore argued that Obaseki was not qualified to run for governorship poll, adding that votes credited to him were null and void and of no effect and value.

The petitioners averred that they would rely on Forms EC9 and CF001 submitted by Obaseki to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the 2020 and 2016 elections in Edo.

They also hoped to rely on the affidavit allegedly deposed to by the governor in the FCT Court on July 7, 2016, allegedly bearing July 6, 1979 as well as the UI Certificate.

Other respondents in the petition included the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress and INEC.

Our correspondent reports that the tribunal, sitting in Benin, also received a petition by the Action Peoples Party, challenging its unlawful exclusion from the poll.

The Secretary of the tribunal, Mr Sunday Martins, who confirmed the receipt of the two petitions to NAN on Thursday, said that filing of petitions would end on Saturday.