PDP, APC clash over alleged witness intimidation at Edo Election Tribunal

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) engaged in a heated exchange on Thursday at the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal over claims of threats against witnesses.

During the tribunal’s sitting, presided over by a three-member panel led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, PDP’s lead counsel, Ken Mozia (SAN), raised concerns about alleged intimidation of witnesses scheduled to testify in the case.

Mozia stated that while the witnesses’ names had been coded using acronyms, their identities had still been exposed due to their roles during the September 21, 2024, governorship election. He insisted that the threats posed a serious concern to the credibility of the tribunal process.

“My lord, we gave them (Respondents) the list of witnesses. But what they did to some of those witnesses was beyond imagination, to the extent that some of them are afraid to come and testify,” the petitioners’ counsel added.

He told the tribunal that he earlier drew the attention of APC’s counsel, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, to what the witnesses were being subjected to.

However, his allegation did not go down well with senior lawyers who appeared for respondents in the petition that is seeking to nullify Governor Monday Okpebholo’s election.

Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, described the allegation as baseless.

“My lord, this is unfortunate that my learned friend is involving us in this phantom allegation,” Ikpeazu, SAN, responded, complaining that the petitioners failed to furnish him with a list of particular witnesses they planned to call for the day.

Likewise, counsel for the APC, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, dismissed the allegation, insisting that the petitioners knew what to do if their witnesses were threatened.

“My lords, if there are criminal activities going on, they know what to do and who to meet.

“It is not for them to come here to make blanket statements,” Ukala, SAN, stated.

Still maintaining his position, counsel for the petitioners, said: “My lord, I had earlier approached him (Ukala) and I even sent him videos of the alleged threats to our witness.

“To say that it is not real or phantom, my lord that is not fair.”

“My lord the video he shared with me had nothing to do with list of witnesses. By then, the schedule of witnesses was not even filed.

“I gave him the assurances that I gave him when he showed the videos to me, and since then, he has not brought any issue to my attention,” APC’s lawyer, Ukala, SAN, insisted.

Not ready to be drawn into the brawl, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Kpochi, urged the petitioners to furnish the respondent with the list of witnesses, ahead of time.

“My appeal is that you give them list of witnesses that are prepared for the next day,” Justice Kpochi added.

Meanwhile, the Ward Agent of the PDP in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Eseigbe Victor, has mounted the witness box to testify for the petitioners.

It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared that Okpebholo of the APC secured a total of 291, 667 votes to defeat his closet rivalry, Ighodalo of the PDP, who got a total of 247, 655 votes.

However, aggrieved by the outcome of the poll, the PDP and its candidate approached the tribunal, praying it to nullify INEC’s declaration of the APC and Okpebholo as winners of the contest.

The petitioners, among other things, contended that the governorship election was invalid because of alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.

They equally argued in the petition marked: EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, that Governor Okpebholo of the APC did not secure the highest number of lawful votes that were cast at the election.