Ondo Guber: Appeal Court Upholds Aiyedatiwa’s Victory

The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital has upheld the election of Ondo State governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as the winner of the November 16, 2024, governorship election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The appellate court made the declaration in a judgment delivered by a panel of judges led by Justice Nimpar Yargata in the appeal brought before the court by the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Hon. Agboola Ajayi and other political parties.

The Ondo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had on June 4, 2025,  affirmed the election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates.

Not satisfied with the judgment, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied People’s Movement (APM) and Social Development Party (SDP) filed appeals against the judgment of the tribunal, asking for the invalidation of the November 16, 2024, governorship election.

However, the three Justices, Justice Nimpar Yargata, Justice K.I. Amadi and Justice I.M. Sani, unanimously struck out the appeals, one after the other, for not substantiating the claims of non-compliance with 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 in the various polling units, wards, and local government areas where it took place.

The appellate court also ruled that the parties abandoned their cases, as no credible witnesses were called at the tribunal to back up their claims of widespread irregularities in the various polling units.

The court therefore affirmed the tribunal’s judgments on all the cases. It declared Aiyedatiwa and Adelami as the state’s elected Governor and Deputy Governor, giving costs of N1.5m against the appellants.

Reacting to the judgment, Governor Aiyedatiwa described it as a welcome development, commending the Appeal Court justices for painstakingly going through the cases and delivering detailed, unanimous judgments.

While expressing gratitude to God and the state’s people, Aiyedatiwa noted that the Appeal Court’s judgment has reaffirmed the people’s will.

His words: “I give glory to Almighty God who orchestrated this journey from the beginning and used the good people of Ondo State. Over 366,000 residents gave us their mandate on November 16 last year to continue governing this state as the seventh democratically elected governor.

“The tribunal validated that mandate, which the Appeal Court has now reaffirmed. While some political parties tried to overturn the people’s decision through the back door, the judiciary has fulfilled its role by upholding the choice made by the majority of voters across the 18 local government areas of the state.”