Breaking news: Tribunal lambasts PDP, Asue Ighodalo for failing to present witnesses. As tribunal adjourned the case till Thursday, January 30

Edo election: Tribunal lambasts PDP, Asue Ighodalo for failing to present witnesses. As tribunal adjourned the case till Thursday, January 30

The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Tuesday slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, over their failure to produce witnesses to testify in the petition they filed to nullify the outcome of the gubernatorial poll that was held in the state on September 21, 2024.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, counsel to PDP and Ighodalo, Mr. Adetunji Oyeyipo, SAN, told the tribunal that most of their proposed witnesses, “suffered travel disruptions.”

“My lords, this is the reason we are unable to present them today. We urge your Lordships to give us another date.

“We undertake that on the next date, we will bring as many witnesses as may be convenient for the tribunal.

“We will also work assiduously to prime down our witnesses,” Oyeyipo, SAN, pleaded shortly after the witness that was testifying before the tribunal relocated its sitting from Edo state to Abuja, was discharged.”

Dissatisfied with the development, Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member tribunal slammed the petitioners for wasting the judicial time of the tribunal.

According to the tribunal, it had earlier asked other parties that also lodged petition to challenge the outcome of the governorship election, to take fresh dates.

“What you are just telling us is not good at all! Why then did we ask the other petitioners to take dates? We should have heard them today,” Justice Kpochi fumed.

“In fact, call those your witnesses. Tell them to come, we are ready for them to come today.”

However, counsel to the petitioners pleaded that the witnesses may not be in the right frame of mind to mount the dock after their travel difficulties.

“I appeal that we should be given a new date,” the petitioners’ counsel pleaded.

The tribunal subsequently adjourned the case till Thursday, January 30