The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed the appeal filed by Agboola Ajayi, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. This decision came after Ajayi withdrew his appeal, citing consultations with PDP members. Ajayi extended his best wishes to Governor Aiyedatiwa and pledged to continue working towards the development of Ondo State.
The Supreme Court also dismissed appeals filed by the governorship candidates of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Bamidele Akingboye and Ogunfeyimi Kolawole, respectively. The appeal was withdrawn due to the death of the appellant, and the respondents did not object to the withdrawal.
The opposition parties had initially challenged Governor Aiyedatiwa’s election at the tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Akure, the state capital. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Aiyedatiwa the winner of the election, having secured 366,781 votes in 18 local government areas. He defeated his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the PDP.
The Court of Appeal had previously affirmed Governor Aiyedatiwa’s election in July, following earlier legal victories. The Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had dismissed multiple petitions challenging his election, including one filed by Ajayi, who alleged widespread irregularities. The tribunal also struck out similar petitions from other parties, affirming Aiyedatiwa’s mandate.
In a separate case, the Supreme Court had dismissed an appeal filed by Ajayi challenging Aiyedatiwa’s candidacy, ruling that the case was filed out of time and that Ajayi lacked the legal standing to contest the internal affairs of the All Progressives Congress (APC). With the latest dismissal, Governor Aiyedatiwa’s election has been further validated, and he is expected to continue his term as the governor of Ondo State. The development is seen as a significant milestone in the state’s political landscape, as the governor and the opposition parties move forward.