SDP Withdraws Petition Challenging Gov. Okpebholo’s Election

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The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja has dismissed the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) case seeking to nullify Governor Monday Okpebholo’s election. A three-member panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, struck out the petition on Tuesday following the party’s decision to withdraw it. At the hearing, SDP’s counsel, Mr. Jackson Ehiavhie, informed the tribunal that the party was no longer interested in pursuing the case, acting on instructions from its National Secretariat. With no objections from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Okpebholo, or the All Progressives Congress (APC), the tribunal officially dismissed the case. The SDP was among six political parties that initially challenged Okpebholo’s victory in the September 21, 2024, governorship election. INEC had declared Okpebholo the winner with 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who secured 247,274 votes. The withdrawn petition alleged electoral irregularities, including INEC’s failure to electronically transmit results as required by law. The SDP had argued that such violations rendered the election process invalid.

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