The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor of Edo State, dismissing the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
Delivering the unanimous judgment on Thursday, a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba Lawal ruled that the appellants failed to substantiate their claims of electoral irregularities, non-compliance with the Electoral Act, and allegations that Okpebholo was not validly elected. The court affirmed the earlier decisions of both the election tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Abuja, describing the appeal as lacking in merit.
The ruling comes nearly 11 months after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Okpebholo winner of the September 2024 governorship election, with 291,667 votes. Ighodalo of the PDP finished second with 247,274 votes, while the Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata placed a distant third with 22,763 votes.
Following the election, Ighodalo and the PDP filed a petition challenging the result, citing widespread irregularities and non-compliance with electoral laws. However, the election tribunal dismissed the case in April 2025, stating the petitioners failed to provide sufficient evidence. A subsequent appeal to the Court of Appeal was similarly rejected.
Okpebholo calls for unity after Supreme Court victory
In response to the Supreme Court verdict, Governor Okpebholo extended an olive branch to his opponents and urged political unity for the development of Edo State.
“The elections are over; the real work of governance and healing must begin,” his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, said in a statement. “Governor Okpebholo extends a sincere olive branch to all his opponents and members of the opposition.”
He described the ruling not as a personal triumph, but as a victory for all Edo citizens regardless of political, ethnic, or religious background. “Edo belongs to all of us,” the governor said. “Let this victory ignite a new era of unity, dialogue, and impact-driven governance.”
Ighodalo rejects verdict, alleges electoral robbery
In a strongly worded response, PDP candidate Asue Ighodalo rejected the court’s ruling, calling it a betrayal of democratic ideals.
“Like you, I feel a deep sense of betrayal—not just by those who rigged the process, but by the very institutions we trusted to protect our democracy,” he said in a statement.
Describing the September 2024 poll as a “coordinated and deliberate robbery,” Ighodalo maintained that the election was rigged in favour of the APC and criticized the judiciary for legitimizing what he sees as electoral malpractice.
“While I will not and cannot obstruct any judicial pronouncement, no matter how flawed, I must never fear to speak truth to power,” he added.
With the Supreme Court ruling final and binding, the legal chapter of the Edo 2024 governorship election has now closed. All eyes will turn to how Governor Okpebholo navigates the challenges of governance in the wake of a fiercely contested election and a still-divided political landscape.
