Supreme Court Affirms Monday Okpebholo as Edo State Governor, Dismisses PDP Appeal in 2024 Election Dispute

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Thursday delivered a unanimous judgment affirming Senator Monday Okpebholo as the duly elected Governor of Edo State, conclusively ending the legal dispute over the 2024 governorship election.

The apex court dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, ruling that the petition lacked merit and sufficient evidence to overturn the election result.

A five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba held that Ighodalo and the PDP failed to prove allegations of over-voting, non-compliance with the Electoral Act, and other claimed irregularities.

The court noted that the appellant challenged results in only 395 of the 4,519 polling units and that the 19 witnesses called at the tribunal stage did not substantiate the claims.

The judgment reaffirmed the decisions of both the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which had earlier upheld Okpebholo’s victory.

Justice Garba emphasized that the appellant did not satisfactorily discharge the burden of proof required by law stating.

The appeal is hereby dismissed for lacking in merit and the judgment affirms the decision of the tribunal and Court of Appeal.

Following the ruling, Governor Okpebholo hailed the judgment as the beginning of a new era for Edo State, while Ighodalo accepted the finality of the decision but expressed dissatisfaction with its substance.

The Supreme Court’s verdict puts an end to months of legal contestation since the September 21, 2024 election solidifying Okpebholo’s mandate and providing clarity for the state’s political future.

The decision is expected to have significant implications for both Edo State and the broader national political landscape reinforcing judicial authority in electoral matters.

This ruling marks a decisive moment in Nigeria’s democratic process, underscoring the judiciary’s role in upholding electoral integrity and stability.