Suspected thugs yesterday stormed the venue of the
inaugural sitting of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal at Edo State
High Court Complex on Sapele Road, Benin.
All Progressives Congress (APC)
and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) politicians and their
supporters were attacked and pelted with stones and other dangerous items by
yet-to-be-identified suspected thugs.
Members of the APC and supporters of Edo State
Governor Monday Okpebholo were at the venue of the tribunal’s sitting, when
suspected hoodlums suddenly invaded the area and injured some persons.
The rowdy situation was quickly brought under control
by the vigilant and fully-armed security operatives.
The sitting of Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member
tribunal went on during the suspected thugs’ invasion.
Justice Kpochi called for cooperation of all parties,
towards a smooth and successful trial, and urged the counsel to exercise mutual
respect between the bar and the bench.
The tribunal chairman asked politicians and their
supporters to maintain decorum during proceedings to hear the seven petitions
from the results of the September 21 governorship election won by Okpebholo,
who was inaugurated on November 12.
Seven of the 18 parties that participated in the
election, who filed the petitions were Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social
Democratic Party (SDP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Action Democratic Party
(ADP), Accord (A), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Action Alliance (AA). They
wanted their candidates to be declared winner of the poll.
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