Less than five days to the deadline of filing petitions before the Edo state governorship election tribunal, the candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Lucky Iboi Emmanuel has filed a petition against the victory of Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki in the September 19.
The petition was filed by Sylvester Imhanobe, Ikhide Ehigheluo, Douglas Ogbankwa, Anderson Asenmota and three others on behalf of the ADP candidate.
Lucky Iboi Emmanuel joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Godwin Obaseki, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu as respondents.
The ADP candidate in the petition intends to call on the respondents to show evidence that Tekena Tamuno who was the Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan (UI) from December 1975 to November 1979, could not have signed a certificate which Obaseki allegedly presented to the APC for the screening.
He contended that the purported university degree which the third respondent (Governor Obaseki) claimed was issued by the university was undated.
He also argued that the third respondent was not qualified to contest for the September 19, 2020 governorship election, and the votes credited to him are null and void and of no effect and value.
The petitioners further averred that they would rely on the following documents which include the Form EC9 submitted by the third respondent to the first respondent (INEC) at the election; the form CF001 submitted by Governor Obaseki to INEC; the affidavit deposed to by the governor in the FCT Court on July 7, 2016 allegedly bearing July 6, 1979; and the certificate of UI he submitted along with Form EC9 in 2020.
Among the list of documents they will also rely on are the nomination form/express of interest form procured by the third respondent in respect of the governorship election and the list of UI Vice-chancellors till date.
Recall that the APC governorship candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu had on Monday vowed to forge ahead with his pre-election case in court against Governor Obaseki.
Meanwhile, seven other governorship candidates who participated in the September 19 Edo State governorship election on Tuesday threatened legal action against the winner of the election, governor Godwin Obaseki.
The seven governorship candidates who addressed Journalists in Benin on the platform of Edo 2020 Governorship Candidates Forum, through its spokesperson, Bishop Akhalamhe, said the election was near perfection and that it could still be better with time.
Speaking on behalf of the seven governorship candidates, Bishop Akhalamhe said the election was near perfection noting that filing a petition at the election tribunal would help to deepen democracy.
“We the undersigned governorship candidates in the 2020, election under the above named forum wish to appreciate the Patriotic roles played by members of the press before, during and after the election.”
“We are positive that, the election was near perfection, though some of the candidates are making arrangements to file their cases in the tribunal resulting from some abserved abnormalities.
“In the conduct of the election, and the forum supports them in order to deepen our democracy. Filing a collective suit is also in consideration by this forum, and we may file our suit soonest,” he said.
Members of the forum are; Bishop Akhalamhe, ZLP, Idehen Osagie Lucky, APGA, Elder Felix Obayangbon, SDP, Steve Ozomo, NRM, Amos Areloegbe, CNA, Ebun Tracy Agol, NNPP and Edemakhuota Godwin for the AA candidate.
Idris Umar Momoh & Churchill Okoro, Benin
