By Edo Osahon
In a last-ditch effort to sway the outcome of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, has allegedly attempted to enlist the support of traditional rulers in the Southwest, alongside President Bola Tinubu’s daughter.
According to sources, this desperate bid by Ighodalo has ultimately fallen flat.
Insiders revealed that Ighodalo visited several traditional palaces, seeking their influence to persuade President Tinubu’s daughter to intervene with her father in an attempt to sway the tribunal’s decision in his favor.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the September 21, 2024, election, after he secured 291,667 votes against Ighodalo’s 247,274.
Dissatisfied with the results, Ighodalo and the PDP rejected the INEC declaration and took the matter to court, challenging Okpebholo’s victory.
On January 17, 2025, the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-man Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal (EPT) commenced the full hearing of seven petitions filed against Okpebholo’s victory.
However, sources claim that as the tribunal proceedings progressed, Ighodalo, sensing an unfavorable outcome, sought to use his kinsmen and the president’s daughter to influence the ruling.
Reports indicate that significant sums of money have allegedly been spent convincing traditional rulers to lobby for a favorable judgment.
In addition to this, there have been speculations of a grand plan to incite tension in Edo State, prompting calls for the tribunal’s relocation to Abuja for security reasons.
Sources further allege that the PDP’s ultimate goal was to pressure the tribunal into overturning INEC’s decision—a move reportedly met with resistance from President Tinubu, who has insisted on due process.
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Meanwhile, fresh concerns have emerged about a possible attempt to disrupt tribunal proceedings in Abuja, particularly due to PDP witnesses failing to provide substantial proof of victory.
Governor Okpebholo and the APC have maintained their stance, stating their readiness to defend their mandate at any judicial level—a development said to be unsettling for the PDP and its candidate.
The tribunal has already heard final written addresses from all parties involved, including INEC and the APC. While it is expected to deliver its judgment within the legally mandated 180-day period, which expires around April 10, 2025, the exact date of the verdict is yet to be announced.
