The Supreme Court has officially affirmed Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor of Edo State, bringing to a close a prolonged legal contest initiated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
A five-member panel of justices, headed by Justice Mohammed Garba Lawal, delivered the unanimous ruling on Thursday, declaring that the appellants failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt. The court found no compelling evidence to support claims of widespread non-compliance with the Electoral Act, unlawful vote allocation, or assertions that Okpebholo did not lawfully win the election.
The ruling effectively upheld the earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had also dismissed the PDP’s petition. According to the apex court, the grounds of appeal lacked substance and were therefore unmeritorious.
This definitive judgment comes nearly a year after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Okpebholo the winner of the Edo governorship election held in September 2024. The APC candidate secured a total of 291,667 votes, outperforming Ighodalo of the PDP, who garnered 247,274 votes. The Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata trailed far behind with 22,763 votes.
Following the declaration of results, Ighodalo and the PDP expressed dissatisfaction, citing irregularities and breaches of electoral law. They subsequently filed a petition at the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal, urging it to nullify the election. However, in April 2025, the tribunal dismissed the petition, citing the petitioners’ failure to provide sufficient proof of the alleged infractions.
Determined to contest the outcome further, the PDP and Ighodalo escalated the case to the Court of Appeal, seeking a reversal of the tribunal’s decision. Once again, the appellate court ruled against them, stating that the appeal was without merit.
With the Supreme Court’s ruling, Okpebholo’s mandate as governor has now been confirmed at the highest judicial level, solidifying the legitimacy of his administration and closing the door on any further legal challenge.
What you should know
The Supreme Court has confirmed Monday Okpebholo as the legitimate governor of Edo State, dismissing all legal challenges brought by PDP candidate Asue Ighodalo.
The ruling ends months of litigation, affirming INEC’s declaration of Okpebholo as the winner of the September 2024 election.
