The Supreme Court on Thursday affirmed Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected Governor of Edo State, bringing an end to months of legal wrangling following the September 21, 2024 governorship election.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba, the apex court dismissed the appeal filed by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, for lacking merit.
Justice Garba, who read the lead judgment, held that the appellants failed to present credible evidence proving that Okpebholo did not lawfully win the election. He also noted that the PDP and its candidate could not convincingly show that the earlier decisions by the election tribunal and Court of Appeal were flawed.
“The appeal is hereby dismissed for lacking in merit. The judgment affirms the decisions of the tribunal and the Court of Appeal,” Justice Garba ruled.
The verdict solidifies Okpebholo’s mandate and ends the legal dispute that began after the PDP challenged the outcome of the poll, alleging widespread irregularities and calling for the results to be nullified.
Earlier, both the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal had dismissed the PDP’s petition, leading to the final appeal at the Supreme Court.
With Thursday’s judgment, the legal battles surrounding the Edo State governorship election have been conclusively resolved.