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The All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party threw accusations as suspected masked thugs fired sporadically on Reservation Street, by Ezoti Junction, next to the High Court complex in Benin City, on Wednesday.
In a viral video, a youth wearing a PDP fez cap emerged from an unregistered white Toyota Hilux and began firing into the air, causing panic among passersby.
The sounds of gunfire echoed into the venue of the Edo election petition tribunal, creating a tense atmosphere.
Passersby looked startled as the scene unfolded while some armed policemen, seen nearby, appeared helpless to intervene.
The youth was heard shouting “Give us our mandate,” while another gunshot rang behind him.
The two then entered an unmarked Hilux pickup van which zoomed off immediately.
Reacting, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Jarrett Tenebe alleged that the supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Asue Ighodalo were responsible for the attack.
He condemned resorting to violence to resolve disputes.
He said, “Today’s shooting incident within the venue of the Governorship Election Tribunal in Benin City involving members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party is a deeply disturbing and unacceptable act of violence.
“The Tribunal is a sacred space where justice is meant to be administered impartially. Any act of violence within its walls undermines the very foundation of our legal system and threatens the safety of all involved.
“Regardless of political affiliation, resorting to violence to resolve disputes is never justifiable. We must all condemn such actions in the strongest possible terms.
Reacting, the acting chairman of the state PDP Caretaker Committee, Tony Aziegbemi said that the allegation that the thugs sponsored by the PDP were behind the shooting was false.
He said it was preposterous to think the party would engage in acts that would jeopardize its chances of winning at the tribunal.
He said, “The All Progressives Congress in Edo State, who are scared of justice, have continued their devious ploy to frustrate our party, the Peoples Democratic Party from reclaiming the mandate duly given to us by the good people of Edo State in the last governorship election at the Tribunal and have now resorted to deploying thugs disguised in PDP-branded attire to disrupt the legal process while pointing accusing fingers at our party.
“We strongly dissociate ourselves from the shooting incident that occurred today at the venue of the Governorship Election Tribunal in Benin City, the Edo State capital, and want to unequivocally state that this shameful incident is yet another in the series of clandestine efforts by the APC to frustrate the legal process and tarnish the image of our party.”
Meanwhile, Justice Wilfred Kpochi led a three-man 2024 Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal (EPT), on Wednesday to commence a full hearing on the seven petitions challenging the declaration of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as winner of the 2024 Edo State Governorship Election.
This was just as the tribunal adjourned hearing on a petition filed by Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his party Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to January 17, 2024, to enable parties in the petition to have a pre-hearing meeting with the Court Registry to on Thursday on the way to go about the presentation of documents by the petitioners’
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it would be recalled, had at the end of the September 21, 2024, election, declared Okpebholo as the winner with 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo of the PDP, who recorded 247,274 votes.
Not satisfied with INEC’s declaration, the petitioners, Asue Ighodalo, PDP, Accord Party (AP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), dragged INEC, Okpebholo and the APC before the court to challenge the declaration and conduct of the election.
Upon the commencement of the hearing on Wednesday, the candidate of the Accord Party, Dr. Bright Enabulele, through his counsel, J.A. Dagher, opened his case with the presentation of three witnesses in support of his petition.
Prosecution Witness 1, Zakaria Wisdom Yahaya, adopted his witness statement and prayed the court to rely on it in support of the petitioner’s case.
Yahaya through his statement on oath told the court that the conduct of the poll in his Polling Unit 28, Ward 8, in Akoko-Edo Local where he functioned as polling Unit agent for his Party (AP), was marred with irregularities to wit ballot stuffing.
When cross-examined by counsel to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents (Governor Okpebholo, APC and INEC), Onyeachi Ikpeazu, SAN, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, and Abdullahi Aliyu, SAN, respectively, the PW1 told the court that he also functioned as Ward Agent for his party.
Also, testified before the court was Daisy Nwanchukwu who claimed to have functioned as polling Unit Agent in Oredo Unit 9, Ward 3.
When asked if he was given an agent card by INEC to function in the election, the witness answered in the negative.
The 70-year-old PW3, Victoria Ogbebor, stated in her witness statement that she acted as a unit agent in Unit 32 for her party in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area during the election.
When asked by Aliyu if she knew one Dr. Bright Enabulele (AP candidate in the election), the witness said that she may know the name.
The case was, however, adjourned to Thursday for continuation of the hearing.
