In a major political development, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has upheld the election of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the duly elected Governor of Edo State, dealing a significant blow to the legal challenge filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
Delivering its verdict, the appellate court dismissed Ighodalo’s appeal for lacking merit and upheld the earlier decision of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had ruled in favour of Okpebholo in April 2025.
The judgment effectively solidifies the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate’s hold on the Dennis Osadebe Government House, following his official swearing-in on November 12, 2024.
Reacting swiftly, the PDP expressed its disappointment and vowed to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court, the final arbiter in the dispute.
At the keenly contested September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election, Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes. Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata came in a distant third with 22,763 votes, while 14 other candidates trailed behind with minimal impact.
The APC swept more than 10 of Edo’s 18 local government areas, securing dominance in two of the state’s three senatorial districts. PDP’s wins were limited and largely marginal.
Dissatisfied with the outcome, Ighodalo had initially approached the election petition tribunal, seeking to overturn the result and disqualify Okpebholo on grounds of alleged irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
However, the tribunal—led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi—dismissed the petition in its entirety, citing a lack of credible evidence and competent witnesses.
In its ruling, the tribunal emphasized that allegations of non-compliance must be “proven clearly and convincingly.” The failure of the PDP to present polling unit officials, presiding officers, or even affected voters was described as “fatal” to the petition’s credibility.
Ighodalo then proceeded to the appellate court, hoping to overturn the tribunal’s decision. However, the Court of Appeal found no basis to invalidate the election, thus reaffirming INEC’s declaration of Okpebholo as governor.
The PDP now heads to the Supreme Court as the final opportunity to challenge Okpebholo’s mandate.
