The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has accepted the Supreme Court’s judgment, which conclusively affirmed the election of Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the Governor of Ondo State.
The court’s ruling on Tuesday dismissed the PDP’s appeal challenging Aiyedatiwa’s victory in the November 16, 2024, governorship election.
Kennedy Peretei, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP, acknowledged that the Supreme Court’s decision is final, stating, “The Supreme Court is the apex court in the land. Hence, there can be no further appeal against its verdict.”
The court, in a lead judgment delivered by Justice Garba Lawal, upheld the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal’s decisions, which had already dismissed the appeal.
The PDP, led by Agboola Ajayi, had questioned the legitimacy of Aiyedatiwa’s election based on allegations that his running mate, Olayide Adelami, had improperly changed his middle name without the required documentation.
However, the court ruled that the case lacked merit, emphasizing that name changes, when duly documented, do not constitute grounds for electoral fraud. Furthermore, the petition was deemed “statute-barred” as it was filed after the constitutionally mandated 14-day period for challenging election results.
The Supreme Court also dismissed the appellants’ claim that Aiyedatiwa’s election was invalid, ruling that they lacked the legal standing to pursue the case. The court ordered Ajayi to pay ₦2 million in costs to each of the four respondents involved.
In reaction to the ruling, Ade Adetimehin, the Chairman of Ondo APC, praised the judgment and urged the opposition to support the governor in moving the state forward.
He congratulated Governor Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Olayide Adelami, for their “well-deserved victory,” stating, “The time for governance is now, and we are committed to delivering the dividends of democracy to our people.”