The Edo governorship election petition tribunal has relocated from Benin City to Abuja.
In a statement issued on Friday, tribunal secretary, Mua’azu Bagudu stated that the proceedings will henceforth hold at the National Judicial Institute (NJI), airport road, Abuja.
“I am directed to notify all parties that the governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Benin City has been relocated to Abuja,” the statement reads.
The development is coming days after gunshots stopped one of the sittings of the tribunal.
Recall that on January 15, social media videos captured a man firing a gun into the air, causing panic as lawyers, tribunal members, and attendees ran for safety.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) traded accusations over the incident.
Chairman of APC in Edo State, Jarrett Tenebe described the violence as a “deeply disturbing” and unacceptable act that undermined the independence of the judicial process.
Tenebe blamed supporters of the PDP of carrying out the attack, saying that the suspected thugs wore PDP-branded attires.
PDP has distanced itself from the incident, with its state chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, blaming the APC of accentuating the disruption to “frustrate the legal process and tarnish the image of the PDP”.
Candidate of the PDP in the September 21 Edo governorship election, Asue Ighodalo is challenging the declaration of Monday Okpebholo of the APC as winner of the vote.
