Sen. Neda Imasuen of the Labour Party was elected to represent Edo South in the National Assembly by the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, which is based in Benin.
Through petition no. EPT/ED/SEN/03/2023, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, and his party sought the tribunal to contest Imasuen’s victory in the election on February 25.
In their petition, the petitioners asked the tribunal to declare Imasuen’s victory invalid on four grounds: alleged ineligibility, excessive voting, corrupt behaviour, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) noncompliance with the Electoral Act, and the LP’s nomination of the first respondent.
But the plea was rejected by the three-person panel, which was chaired by Justice Yusuf Mohammed, because it lacked merit and was unqualified.
The petitioners failed to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Imasuen was ineligible to run for office, according to Justice Mohammed, who read the lengthy decision that took more than three hours.
The tribunal determined that claims of non-eligibility, party nomination, or election sponsorship were pre-election issues that could only be heard by a Federal High Court.
Iduoriyekemwen and his party, he said, failed to demonstrate that the senator did not receive the majority of legitimate votes cast in the election.
The Judge concluded that the petitioners had failed to establish their claim of alleged violations of the Electoral Act and electoral irregularities.
Imasuen responded by dedicating the win to the people of Edo and praising the tribunal for its valiant application of the law and commitment to upholding justice.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo South’s Valentine Asuen appeal had previously been dismissed by the tribunal.
