3rd August, 2012
There were indications on Friday that candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 14 July governorship election in Edo State, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (retd) has secretly filed petition at the Edo State governorship election tribunal, and another at the Court of Appeal sitting in Benin to challenge the victory of Governor Adams Oshiomhole in the election.
Investigations by P.M. NEWS revealed that PDP, filed the petition with Secretary to the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Barrister Josephine Aliyu, before the close of work on Thursday.
A senior member of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria ACN, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed this to P.M. NEWS in a telephone conversation.
He disclosed that the PDP candidate filed an appeal at the tribunal and another matter at the Court of Appeal in Benin.
“Yes, we are aware the PDP has filed an appeal. They also filed another with the Court of Appeal,” he said, adding that Oshiomhole was not caught unawares as the government was aware of every move by Edo PDP.
Efforts to get confirmation from the Secretary to the Tribunal, Barrister Josephine Aliyu proved abortive as she was not in the office when P.M. NEWS visited the High Court, venue of the Tribunal, and no one was willing to give out her mobile phone number for contact.
The State Chairman of PDP, Chief Dan Orbih also refused to comment on the matter, but referred P.M. NEWS back to the tribunal.
“Am I a confirmation officer? If you want to confirm which parties have filed appeal against the governorship election outcome, call the tribunal registrar, and he will tell you.”
Airhiavbere had shortly after the declaration of Oshiomhole as winner of the governorship election said he was studying the situation.
Some influential members of Edo PDP, including one of the aspirants that collapsed his structure for Airhiavbere, had hinted they would approach the tribunal on two grounds why Oshiomhole cannot be declared winner of the exercise.
The former aspirant who also pleaded for anonymity had told our correspondent that PDP lawyers will file the party’s petition on Tuesday.
“Yes, we will go to court to challenge Oshiomhole’s election. One, on the grounds of impersonation; his primary school certificate does not bear the name Oshiomhole, it only had Aliu Adams.
“He did not go to school, and we can prove it. We have other grounds which I cannot tell you here, but we are definitely going to challenge his (Oshiomhole’s) election,” he said.
The source, who further spoke with journalists on Thursday, however said, PDP, would no longer harp on the issue of school attendance.
—Jethro Ibileke/Benin