The Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Akure, the state capital, has dismissed all petitions challenging the election victory of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in the November 16, 2024, gubernatorial election.
The petitions, filed by five opposition parties, which included Action Alliance (AA), Allied People’s Movement (APM), Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were declared “worthless and unmeritorious” by the three-member panel led by Justice Benson Ogubu.
In the over eight hours of judgment delivered on Wednesday evening, the tribunal held that the petitions against the victory of Aiyedatiwa and his deputy were baseless and were accordingly dismissed.
The candidate of the PDP, Alfred Agboola Ajayi, had challenged the qualification of Aiyedatiwa’s deputy, alleging he forged the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate submitted to INEC, citing inconsistencies with three different names appearing. The petitioners argued it ought to have invalidated the APC ticket, consequently affecting the governor’s victory.
The PDP, which also alleged widespread violation of Section 73(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022, contended that in 3,834 polling units (97% of the state’s 3,933 units), Form EC25B was not properly completed.
Specifically, they claimed the serial numbers of result sheets, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, and ballot papers were not recorded as mandatorily required. They argued the non-compliance should have rendered the election invalid in those units.
However, in its judgment, the tribunal removed the aspects of certificate forgery from the petition on the grounds that the case had been decided at the Federal High Court, Appeal, and the Supreme Court, and that the parties are bound by the decisions of the court.
The tribunal added that the allegations of non-qualification should be uprooted and distilled from the election petition since it was a pre-election matter. The court maintained that the paragraphs existing in the address did not address any new issue. It was struck out.
The tribunal held that Form 25B referred to by the petitioner never prescribed the entering of serial numbers. It said what is necessary is the quantity of the papers. It said there was no way the court would dabble in documents that were not identified and demonstrated by the petitioner.
The tribunal also dismissed claims of over-voting, as it ruled that the petitioners failed to prove this allegation, as none of the witnesses presented tendered the BVAS machines or related data necessary to substantiate the claim.
While reacting to the judgment, Aiyedatiwa said, “I give thanks to Almighty God who orchestrated the journey right from the beginning and used the people of Ondo State. About 366,000-plus indigent residents of Ondo State made a decision on November 16th last year by giving us the mandate to continue to govern the state as the seventh democratically elected governor of Ondo State. And that mandate that was given on that day has just been reaffirmed by the election petition tribunal.
“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.
“So I’m so delighted and happy – myself and my deputy and the chairman of our party, our progressive congress. We thank God for everything.
“We have always extended that to them, even on the first day when I was declared the winner. Part of my speech was for them to come and join us since they have the intention of contributing to the development of the state; they can join us in the ideas that they have; they can bring it on board so that we can work together.”
