The Edo State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, threw out the petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) and Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, challenging the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
In its first judgement on Wednesday, the tribunal held that the case instituted by the AA ”lacked merit and was frivolous”.
The three-member tribunal led by Wilfred Kpochi held the petition filed by AA and Mr Omoaje were frivolous and lacked merit.
It added that Mr Omoaje, who filed the joint petition with the party joined as a co-petitioner, had no locus standi (legal right) to institute the case.
The tribunal further held that Mr Omoaje did not participate in the governorship election and as such had no power to question the validity of the election.
It ruled that Mr Omoaje’s grouse against the election was that he was not recognised as the National Chairman of the Action Alliance for the purpose of nominating candidate for the poll.
It, however, said that his claims had no basis in the Electoral Act 2022.