The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the election of Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor of Edo State in the September 21, 2024, governorship poll.
A three-member panel of justices dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, ruling that it lacked merit. Delivering the lead judgment, Justice M. A. Danjuma affirmed the earlier verdict of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had validated Okpebholo’s victory.
The appellate court found no reason to overturn the tribunal’s May 15 ruling, which dismissed petitions from the PDP, the Action Alliance (AA) led by Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, and the Accord Party (AP) whose candidate was Dr Bright Enabulele. The petitioners had argued that the election failed to comply with the Electoral Act, 2022, but the court ruled otherwise.
Despite the setback, Ighodalo has vowed to pursue the case at the Supreme Court.
In response, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has advised Ighodalo to respect the judgment and move on for the sake of peace in Edo State.
Wike, a PDP stalwart, congratulated Okpebholo in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka. He urged the governor to stay focused and committed to delivering good governance.
Describing the appellate ruling as a reaffirmation of the people’s will, Wike said: “The judgment further confirms the mandate freely and genuinely given to Governor Okpebholo by the good people of Edo State.”
