Edo poll: Anxiety as parties adopt final written addresses

From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

Parties involved in the Edo State election petition tribunal, yesterday, adopted their final written addresses bringing the petitions a step closer to judgment day.
Five political parties- Action Democratic Party, Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, Allied Peoples Movement and New Nigeria Peoples Party- filed petitions on several grounds to nullify the outcome of the September 19, 2020 governorship election that brought in Godwin Obaseki.
Respondents in the various petitions are Governor Obaseki, his deputy, Philip Shaibu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
At the resumed hearing in Benin, the petitioners and respondents adopted their processes, and asked the tribunal to depend on arguments stated in the written addresses.
While the petitioners prayed the tribunal to grant their reliefs, the respondents argued that the various petitions lack merit and should be discountenanced.
Thereafter, the Justice Yunusa Musa-led tribunal reserved judgment which would be communicated to counsel.