The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State, has upheld the election of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, reaffirming him as the duly elected Governor of the state.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), secured victory in the Ondo State governorship election held on November 16, 2024, defeating Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Following his defeat, Ajayi had filed a petition before the Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, challenging the outcome of the election. The tribunal, however, dismissed the petition and validated Aiyedatiwa’s win.
Unyielding, Ajayi escalated the matter to the Court of Appeal in a bid to overturn the tribunal’s verdict and reclaim what he termed his “mandate.”
On Thursday, the appellate court delivered its ruling, unanimously dismissing Ajayi’s appeal and affirming the legitimacy of Aiyedatiwa’s electoral victory.
The three-member panel, led by Justice Yargata Nimpar, held that the appeal lacked merit and concurred with the findings of the tribunal. The judgment solidifies Aiyedatiwa’s position as the democratically elected Governor of Ondo State.
