The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Benin, the Edo State capital, on Monday dismissed four remaining petitions against Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy/running mate, Philip Shaibu.
A three-man panel headed by Justice Yunusa Musa held that the petitions lacked merit.
The petitioners challenged Obaseki’s qualification to contest the last September 19 governorship election, which he won.
The four petitions were filed by the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and its governorship candidate, Iboi Emmanuel; Action Peoples Party (APP); the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Tracy Agol of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
ADP and its governorship candidate prayed the tribunal to disqualify Obaseki over his University of Ibadan (UI) certificate and to nullify the votes cast for him
They urged the tribunal to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election involving all other qualified governorship candidates, excluding Obaseki and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The tribunal held there was no evidence that Obaseki forged his UI certificate nor was he guilty of double nomination by the APC and PDP.
It unanimously declared that ADP, its governorship candidate, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and candidate Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu failed to prove their allegations.
The tribunal described the petition as lacking in merit, thereby dismissing it in its entirety.
It affirmed the election of Obaseki and Shaibu.
The tribunal also dismissed APP’s petition, which was read by the chairman.
The tribunal held that its candidate participated in the election and polled 78 votes.
It dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.
APM’s petition, which alleged irregularities during the poll, was also dismissed.
The tribunal held that the election complied with the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended.
The tribunal awarded N200,000 cost each to INEC, Obaseki and Shaibu, against the petitioner for filing a frivolous petition.
NNPP’s governorship candidate, in her petition, argued that Obaseki was not qualified to contest the eection.
She also sought a fresh poll. The petition was dismissed.
The Nation