The Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has affirmed the victory of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the state’s November 16, 2024, governorship poll.

The tribunal dismissed the petitions filed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Agboola Ajayi, challenging the outcome of the exercise. 

In a unanimous judgment that lasted over 10 hours on Wednesday, a three-man panel led by Justice Benson Ogubu dismissed the petition of Mr Ajayi on the form EC25B, where the petitioner claimed that the election materials were not inserted before the exercise. He noted that all that was required for the form was the quantity of electoral materials received and returned.

The tribunal held that the PDP candidate “failed woefully” to provide sufficient evidence to support his claims of electoral irregularities and overvoting in the election exercise. 

Describing some averments in the petition of the PDP as “vague”, the tribunal held that allegations against Mr Aiyedatiwa’s victory were not substantiated.

On the ground of the alleged submission of a false certificate submitted to INEC by Mr Aiyedatiwa’s deputy, Olaide Adelami, the tribunal held that there are judgments on the issue from the courts of competent jurisdiction, and the decisions are binding on the tribunal, and the ground was struck out.

The tribunal dismissed the petitions filed by the Action Alliance (AA), Allied People’s Movement (APM), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) challenging Governor Aiyedatiwa’s victory. It held that the AA lacked the locus standi to challenge the election outcome.

It specifically affirmed that the party failed to present a candidate for the election and could not have challenged the outcome of the exercise. 

Similarly, the tribunal dismissed the cases of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), also challenging Mr Aiyedatiwa’s victory. 

In the case brought by the APM and the SPD candidate, Bamidele Akingboye, Mr Aiyedatiwa, INEC, and the APC were listed as respondents. 

The tribunal found the case of the APM as lacking in “material fact” and not supported by credible evidence in the Petition against Mr Aiyedatiwa. 

It stated that the APM’s allegations of voting without accreditation, overvoting, corrupt practices, and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act were not backed by any verifiable facts.

The tribunal further held that the evidence presented was of no probative value, and the written statement of the APM’s witness should be discountenanced for failing to disclose the source of information. 

In the case of the SDP, the tribunal dismissed the party’s petition filed by its counsel, Adewole Adebayo, who alleged discrepancies in vote entries in Form EC8A, overvoting, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act. 

Counsel to the respondents, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), asked the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking substance.

Delivering its verdict, the tribunal said the SPD’s petition lacked merit and failed to provide the required material facts. 

Reacting to the judgment, the counsel to the PDP, Olujimi Oluseye, said the opposition party would apply for a certified true copy of the judgment to study the ruling. 

“We respect the judges, but we must not forget that it didn’t go in our favour. Our clients have a constitutional right to seek redress. 

“Having said that, we are going to apply for the certified true copy of the judgment, and we will study it. Part of what we may likely do is to go on appeal. But this is subject to the information we get from our clients,” Mr Oluseye said.

On his part, Mr Aiyedatiwa expressed joy over the victory, saying the will of the people has eventually prevailed. 

“Some other political party thought they could steal the victory through the back door, but today the judiciary has once again performed one of their functions by reaffirming that decision of the majority of indigents of Ondo State who gave us the mandate across the entire 18 local governments,” he said.