Suspected thugs yesterday opened fire near the venue of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which resumed hearing petitions challenging Senator Monday Okpebholo’s victory in the September 21, 2024 election.
The incident occurred around 7 a.m. at Exotic Junction, close to the State High Court premises in Benin. A viral video captured a man in a white T-shirt branded with “AI” wielding a pump-action gun while shouting, “Return mandate! Return our mandate!” The chaos caused workers and traders to flee in panic.
Reacting, the acting chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Emperor Jarret Tenebe, condemned the violence, describing it as a threat to justice. “The tribunal is a sacred space where justice must be administered impartially. Resorting to violence undermines our legal system and threatens public safety,” Tenebe said, urging authorities to bring the culprits to justice.
In contrast, the caretaker chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tony Azeigbemi, accused the APC of orchestrating the violence to derail the PDP’s legal challenge. He alleged that APC thugs disguised in PDP-branded attire disrupted the process to tarnish his party’s reputation.
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“This shameful incident is another desperate attempt by the APC to frustrate the legal process. Why would the PDP disrupt its own opportunity to reclaim the mandate given by the people?” Azeigbemi questioned, reaffirming the PDP’s commitment to a lawful resolution. He also called on the police to arrest the gunman seen in the video.
Several efforts to get the police to react to the development were unsuccessful. Calls and text messages sent to the command’s spokesman, CSP Moses Yamu, were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the tribunal, chaired by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, commenced hearings with witnesses for the Accord Party (AP). Zakaria Wisdom Yahaya testified that the election in his polling unit was marred by irregularities.
The AP’s candidate, Dr. Bright Enabulele, presented three witnesses through his counsel, J.A. Dagher, to support his petition.
The tribunal adjourned Dr. Asue Ighodalo and the PDP’s petition to January 17 to allow parties to hold a pre-hearing meeting on document presentation modalities. The AP’s case was adjourned to today for continuation.
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