Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa
Court of Appeal in Akure has affirmed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s victory in the November 16, 2024, Ondo State governorship election.
This decision reinforces the earlier ruling of the Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which validated Aiyedatiwa’s election.
The November 2024 governorship election in Ondo State saw Aiyedatiwa emerge victorious, garnering over 366,000 votes. His closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polled about 118,000 votes.
Despite the outcome, several opposition parties, including the PDP, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied People’s Movement (APM), and Social Development Party (SDP), challenged the election results ².
*The Court’s Ruling*
The three-man panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Nimpar Yargata, unanimously dismissed the appeals filed by the opposition parties.
The court held that the appellants failed to substantiate their claims of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and electoral flaws.
The judges emphasized that the petitioners could not present credible witnesses to support their allegations of widespread irregularities ³.
*Governor Aiyedatiwa’s Reaction*
Aiyedatiwa hailed the judgment as a welcome development, expressing gratitude to God, the people of Ondo State, and his supporters.
“I give glory to Almighty God who orchestrated this journey from the beginning and used the good people of Ondo State,” he said.
The governor also commended the Appeal Court justices for delivering a detailed and unanimous judgment.
The Court of Appeal’s decision has significant implications for the political landscape of Ondo State.
With the appellate court upholding the tribunal’s ruling, Aiyedatiwa’s mandate has been judicially validated for the second time. This development reinforces the governor’s electoral legitimacy and the ruling party’s dominance in the state.
The Court of Appeal awarded costs of N1.5 million against the appellants, citing their failure to provide credible evidence to support their claims.
