Edo Tribunal Rejects Ize-Iyamu’s Petition, Upholds Obaseki’s Election as Governor

The Edo State Election Petition Tribunal yesterday dismissed the petition of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr. Godwin Obaseki was confirmed as the duly elected governor of the state after the Edo tribunal rejected Ize-Iyamu’s petition to upturn the verdict of the September 28, 2016 election.

Ize-Iyamu and his party, PDP on October 16, dragged Obaseki, All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the tribunal.

Delivering judgment, the Chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Ahmed Badamasi, held that the petitioners failed to support their pleadings with evidence as well as abandoned some pleadings in their petition.

Justice Badamasi also held that many witnesses called by the petitioners were discredited during cross-examination and gave hearsay evidence, The Nation reports.

After the verdict of the tribunal, Obaseki and his party members stormed the streets of Benin, the state capital in jubilation.