By OMORODION OMOREGIE

The Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has now witnessed the final implosion of the APC and Governor Monday Okpebholo?s fraudulent defense. In yet another stunning turn of events, at the hearing on Thursday, February 13, APC abruptly closed its case without calling 24 of its listed witnesses.

This desperate move comes after a disastrous series of testimonies from their own witnesses, who ? under cross-examination ? admitted to over-voting and other election irregularities.

This latest development is nothing short of a complete capitulation. APC had indicated 28 witnesses lined up to defend their case. By the time the heat of cross-examination exposed their lies, only four showed up. One after another, they crumbled under scrutiny, admitting that the September 21st election was rigged. Now, with no defense left, APC has cut and run.

The tribunal proceedings have now fully exposing the fraud with the unraveling of APC?s case which started when INEC, the body responsible for conducting the election, refused to defend its own declaration of Okpebholo as governor.

INEC failed to present a single witness, an unprecedented move that signaled it had no defense against PDP?s petition. This left APC scrambling to salvage their case ? but their own?witnesses only made things worse.

First, Okpebholo?s own witness, Usman Majek, admitted to over-voting in Ovia South-West. Then, Theophilus Afuda, APC?s Esan North East collation agent, reversed his previous statement and confirmed that over-voting did, in fact, occur. He also conceded that INEC failed to record serial numbers of sensitive election materials, a procedural failure that undermines the integrity of the election.

The blow that sent shockwaves through the courtroom came when Engr. Gabriel Iduseri, APC?s Oredo LGA collation agent, also widely known as Gabros, was confronted with the final election results. When presented with polling unit results uploaded onto the IREV portal, he admitted they did not match the figures INEC used to declare Okpebholo winner. His words said it all: ?These results are strange, My Lord. I do not know where they emanated from.?

By Wednesday, APC?s witnesses had done more damage than PDP?s legal team could have hoped for. Rather than proving Okpebholo?s legitimacy, they confirmed that the election was compromised. Today, with 24 remaining witnesses refusing to show up, APC has waved the white flag.

What this means for the petition before the Tribunal, is that at this point, APC has nothing left. No INEC defense. No credible witness testimony. No explanation for the massive irregularities in the election. The implications are clear: The election was rigged. Even APC?s own witnesses have admitted to over-voting, non-serialization of materials, and manipulation of results. PDP?s case stands unchallenged. With BVAS records, CTCs, and IREV results all proving that Okpebholo?s victory was fraudulent, there is no counter-evidence from APC.

The law is clear: where over-voting is proven, the results from those polling units must be canceled. If all fraudulent votes are removed, Ighodalo emerges as the rightful winner.

APC?s last hope now is to stall, delay, or pray for a technicality to save them. But the reality is that they have no case left to argue. If the tribunal rules based on the evidence before it, Okpebholo is finished.

With APC closing their case in disgrace, the stolen mandate is now hanging by a thread and running on borrowed time. The judiciary has a duty ? to do what is right, to uphold democracy, and to restore Edo?s true governor, Asue Ighodalo. The tribunal?s judgment will not only shape Edo?s future but send a message to the entire nation.

The world is watching. Edo people are watching and waiting. The judiciary must stand with truth and history. The lies have crumbled, the fraud is exposed, and justice is now inevitable.

?Omoregie, a public affairs analyst, writes from Benin City.

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