The Edo governorship election petition tribunal on Tuesday in Abuja reserved judgment on the petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) against the outcome of the state’s September 21, 2024, gubernatorial poll.

Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member tribunal said a date for the judgment would be communicated to the parties and counsels.

At the resumed hearing of the petition on Tuesday, counsels adopted their written addresses.

Adewale Adebayo, counsel to the petitioner, prayed the court to uphold all the arguments and submissions made on behalf of his client and grant his prayers.

On their part, counsels to APC, Anthony Umeri; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dike Udenna; and Governor Monday Okpebholo, Linda Chuba-Ikpeazu, all prayed the court to dismiss the petition.

They asked the court to dismiss the petition on grounds that it was an abuse of the court process, just as it was lacking in merit.

Usually, petitions are jointly filed by the parties and their candidates, but in this case, the party’s national chairman, Adekunle Omoaje, filed a solo petition on behalf of AA.

Mr Omoaje told the tribunal that his petition was premised on the fact that INEC failed to recognise the candidate of the party nominated for the governorship election in Edo.

He also said that the INEC failed to recognise him as the national chairman of the party despite the fact that he had secured judgment to that effect.

Mr Omoaje maintained that his petition was a result of the exclusion of his candidate and urged the tribunal to recognise him as the national chairman of AA.

(NAN)