In a decisive and unanimous verdict, the Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has affirmed the victory of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 16, 2024 gubernatorial election.
The three-member panel Justices Imelda Etiape, Daurabu Sikkam, and Benson Ogubu delivered the ruling on Wednesday at the tribunal sitting in Akure, dismissing all petitions challenging the governor’s win as baseless and lacking merit.
The tribunal rejected petitions filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its candidate Agboola Ajayi, and other political parties, clearing the path for Governor Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Olayide Adelami, to continue their tenure unimpeded.
The court held that the petitioners’ evidence was insufficient and failed to substantiate their claims of electoral malpractice and candidate qualification issues.
The PDP had notably challenged the eligibility of Deputy Governor Adelami, accusing him of forging his WAEC certificate under three different names. They argued that such forgery would invalidate the APC’s candidacy and, by extension, the election results.
Additionally, the petitioners contended that the election breached provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, particularly Section 73(2), alleging that crucial electoral materials’ serial numbers were not properly recorded in 3,834 polling units across the state, representing nearly 90% of polling centers.
However, the tribunal dismissed the forgery claims, ruling that these issues were previously adjudicated by the Federal High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court, and are therefore res judicata matters already settled by law.
The court also clarified that the contention around Form EC25B’s serial number entries was unfounded, emphasizing that only the quantity of ballot papers and related materials needed to be recorded, not serial numbers.
On allegations of over-voting, the tribunal found the petitioners’ claims unsubstantiated, noting that no biometric verification system (BVAS) evidence was tendered to support the accusations of electoral fraud.
The tribunal also dismissed petitions from smaller parties—Action Alliance (AA), Allied People’s Movement (APM), and Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing their lack of locus standi, as they failed to field candidates in the election, thus lacking legal standing to challenge the results.
Justice Benson Ogubu, who led the panel, underscored the absence of credible evidence to back claims of voting irregularities, corrupt practices, or significant non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The tribunal rejected speculative and hearsay evidence, reinforcing that reliefs cannot be granted on unverified assertions or political propaganda.
Responding to the ruling, Governor Aiyedatiwa expressed gratitude to the people of Ondo State for reaffirming their confidence in his leadership. “Over 366,000 Ondo residents cast their votes on November 16 last year, entrusting us with the mandate to govern. Today, that mandate has been upheld by the election petition tribunal. We thank God for guiding us through this journey,” he said.
This ruling cements Governor Aiyedatiwa’s position as Ondo State’s seventh democratically elected governor and underscores the judiciary’s role in upholding electoral justice and stability.
