Edo Governor Okpebholo has accused PDP’s Asue Ighodalo of trying to bribe the judiciary.
He made the claim after the Supreme Court upheld his election at a victory rally.
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has accused the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, of attempting to bribe members of the judiciary in a bid to influence the outcome of recent court cases.
Governor Okpebholo made the allegation on Thursday during a victory rally at the Government House in Benin City, following the Supreme Court’s judgment which upheld his election. Addressing a crowd of supporters and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the governor claimed that Ighodalo had tried to sway judicial decisions through financial inducement.
While thanking the judiciary for what he described as its courage and integrity in upholding justice, Okpebholo expressed concern about what he called “dangerous attempts” by some politicians to undermine the legal process.
“The judiciary stood firm despite the pressures. I must thank them for defending democracy,” he said. “But I must also inform you that there were attempts by some individuals, including the PDP candidate, to buy justice. Thankfully, it did not work.”
The governor also took time to commend President Bola Tinubu for ensuring an independent judicial system and maintaining an atmosphere where courts can function without fear or external pressure.
He further used the opportunity to criticize his predecessor, former Governor Godwin Obaseki, accusing him of misgovernance and creating structural problems in the state. According to him, much of his current work involves correcting what he described as the “failures and excesses” of the previous administration.
As of the time of filing this report, Asue Ighodalo and the PDP have not publicly responded to the governor’s allegations.
