The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure has upheld the election of Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the duly elected Governor of Ondo State, reaffirming his victory in the November 16 governorship election.
Gatekeepers News reports that in its ruling on Thursday, the three-member panel dismissed all appeals filed by opposition parties, including Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Action Alliance (AA). These appeals challenged Aiyedatiwa’s win but were thrown out for lacking merit and credible evidence.
Earlier on June 4, the Ondo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had ruled in favor of Aiyedatiwa, stating that the petitions were unsubstantiated.
Allegations such as forgery of academic certificates, over-voting, and non-compliance with electoral laws were dismissed due to insufficient and speculative evidence.
The tribunal had also concluded that Action Alliance had no legal standing to challenge the outcome since it did not present a candidate in the election.
Despite the tribunal’s decision, the petitioners escalated the case to the appellate court. However, the Court of Appeal maintained the tribunal’s verdict, stating that the appellants failed to demonstrate how the alleged irregularities impacted the election results in specific polling units or local government areas.
Additionally, the court noted the absence of credible witnesses to support the claims of electoral malpractice, concluding that the cases were essentially abandoned.
As a result, the appellate court affirmed both Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his deputy Olayide Adelami as the elected governor and deputy Governor of Ondo State. It also awarded a cost of ₦1.5 million against the appellants.
In response to the ruling, Aiyedatiwa expressed gratitude to the people of Ondo State, his legal team, and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for their unwavering support throughout the legal process.
