BENIN CITY – Edo State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Benin City has thrown out the petition filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oredo East Constituency for the state House of Assembly in the last general election, Osadebamwen Okoro for lack of merit.
Osadebamwen was challenging the election of Iyoha Osaigbovo of the All Progressive Congress.
The PDP candidate had in his petition alleged that Iyoha presented fake school certificates before the Independent National Electoral Commission.
However, the three-man panel headed by Justice S. Anjo ruled that Okoro’s petition lacked merit because no notable counsel signed the petition filed at the tribunal.
On the issue of certificate forgery, the tribunal said the petitioner failed to prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubts.
The tribunal noted that Registrar of Ambrose Alli University, Mr. Folaremi Adeojo-Malaji, Headmaster of Oba Akenzua Primary school, Esther Izevbuwa and officials of the West Africa Examination Council, confirmed the certificates presented by the APC candidates.
It ordered the petitioner to pay the sum of N50,000 to Hon Iyoha.
Spokesman for Hon Iyoha, Paul Ibuje, described the judgment as victory for the people of Oredo East constituency.