Will Ize-Iyamu, Others Challenge Obaseki’s Re-Election?

Two days after Governor Godwin Obaseki was declared elected for a second term in office, his major opponent in the election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is yet to formally concede defeat and congratulate the winner, setting the stage for a possible legal battle at the election tribunal.

A panel to preside over petitions from the Edo State governorship election, has been constituted by the President of the Court of Appeal, Monica Dongban-Mensem.

This was disclosed in a statement, dated September 21st by the tribunal’s Secretary, Sunday Martins.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state had been declared the winner of the September 19th governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer for the poll, Professor Akpofure Rem-Rukeh, had  declared the governor as the winner on Sunday at the office of the electoral umpire in Benin City, which doubled as the final collation centre.

While Obaseki scored 307,955 of the total votes, his major challenger at the poll,  the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ize-Iyamu got 223, 619 votes.

The margin between the duo was 84,336.

Martins also disclosed the panel would conduct sittings at the High Court complex, Sapele road, Benin.

He said: “The general public is hereby put on notice that the honourable president of court of appeal of Nigeria, Hon. Justice M.B. Dongban-Mensem, has established the election petition tribunal secretariat and accordingly constituted a panel in respect of the governorship election conducted in Edo State.

“The honourable chief judge of the state, Hon. Justice E.A. Edigin, has graciously approved the use of high court complex (election petition court hall), Sapele road, Benin City for the tribunal exercise. The Secretariat is now open.

“For further enquiries, please contact the secretary on mobile phone number: 07010058493.”

With this development, it is not clear whether Ize-Iyamu would approach the panel with a petition.

Petitions are expected to be filed within 21 days by aggrieved candidates, after the date of the declaration of results.