Appeal Court Upholds Aiyedatiwa’s Mandate, Dismisses Opposition Petitions
By Exponent News, Akure | July 31, 2025
The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure has delivered a significant legal victory to Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, and his deputy, Dr. Olayide Adelami, by affirming their election and dismissing all appeals filed by opposition parties.
In a unanimous judgment on Thursday, July 31, the appellate court threw out the appeals filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied People’s Movement (APM), and Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing lack of merit and failure to prove substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The ruling upheld the earlier decision of the Ondo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which on June 4 validated the outcome of the November 16, 2024 governorship poll in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates.
The panel, comprising Justice Nimpar Yargata, Justice K.I. Amadi, and Justice I.M. Sani, ruled that the appellants failed to provide credible evidence or witnesses to support claims of irregularities, vote tampering, or violations that could have affected the results at polling units, wards, or local government areas.
In a firm dismissal of the cases, the court imposed a cost of ₦1.5 million against the petitioners, reinforcing the credibility of the electoral process that brought Aiyedatiwa and Adelami to power.
Reacting to the judgment, Governor Aiyedatiwa hailed the judiciary for upholding the truth and the will of the people.
“I give glory to Almighty God who orchestrated this journey and used the good people of Ondo State. Over 366,000 residents gave us their mandate on November 16 last year to continue governing this state,” the governor said.
“That mandate was validated by the tribunal and has now been reaffirmed by the Appeal Court. While some political parties tried to overturn the people’s decision through the backdoor, the judiciary has fulfilled its role by upholding the choice made by the majority of voters across the 18 local government areas,” he added.
Governor Aiyedatiwa also extended his appreciation to his deputy, legal team, APC leaders and supporters for standing firm throughout the legal process.
