No fewer than 290 witnesses are set to testify for and against the outcome of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, where Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner. His victory is being contested by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, along with other political parties.
This development was disclosed during the pre-hearing session of the 2024 Edo Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on Saturday. The hearing proper is scheduled to begin on January 13, 2025, as the tribunal concluded pre-hearing formalities at its latest sitting.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Okpebholo the winner after he garnered 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo of the PDP, who secured 247,274 votes.
While adopting the pre-hearing report, the chairman of the three-member tribunal panel, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, revealed that the parties had agreed to present a total of 290 witnesses. According to the report, the timeline for witness examination allocates 40 minutes for each star witness’s examination-in-chief, 30 minutes for cross-examination by the petitioners, and 20 minutes for cross-examination by each respondent.
Other agreements outlined in the report include:
– **Re-examination of star witnesses:** 10 minutes each.
– **Examination-in-chief for other witnesses:** 25 minutes each.
– **Witness presentation timeline:** Petitioners have 21 days or less to present witnesses, while respondents have 10 days each.
The tribunal will hold daily sessions starting at 10 a.m., excluding Sundays and public holidays. Only witnesses with pre-submitted sworn statements will be called, although subpoenaed witnesses may also be presented if necessary.
Justice Kpochi noted that the tribunal will provide interpreters for witnesses requiring translation between English and native languages such as Benin, Esan, or Auchi dialects. Additionally, no consolidation or amendment of petitions will be allowed, as no such applications were submitted.
Following the adoption of the pre-hearing report, Justice Kpochi adjourned the hearing to January 13, 2025.
