The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, has affirmed the election of Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa as Governor of Ondo State, and Olayide Adelami as the Deputy Governor.
This followed the decisions of the panel of three justices led by Justice Nimpar Yargata which dismissed the appeals of some political parties against the June 4, 2025 judgment of the Ondo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal that affirmed the election of the candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied People’s Movement (APM) and Social Development Party (SDP) had filed separate appeals challenging the judgment of the Election Tribunal, asking the appellate Court for the invalidation of the November 16, 2024 governorship election.
However, the Appeal Court Justices unanimously struck out all four appeals for not substantiating the claims that the conduct of the election did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The Justices held that the appellants failed to prove their allegations against the election, as they did not show how their claims affected the election outcomes in the various polling units, wards and local government areas where the election took place.
The appellate Court also held that the parties abandoned their cases as there were no credible witnesses called at the trial stage to back up their claims of widespread irregularities in the various polling units.
Justice Nimpar Yargata therefore affirmed the judgments of the lower Tribunal on all the cases and declared Governor Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Adelami as duly elected.
In an immediate reaction, Governor Aiyedatiwa described the judgement as well considered and a welcome development in the political trajectory of Ondo State, adding that it has reaffirmed the will of the people.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
