PDP breaks silence as S’Court affirms Aiyedatiwa Ondo gov
The Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State has agreed that Tuesday’s Supreme Court judgment puts paid to agitation regarding the election of Lucky Aiyedatiwa as Ondo governor.
The Publicity Secretary of the party, Kennedy Peretei, in a reaction to the judgment, stated, “The Supreme Court is the apex court in the land. Hence, there can be no further appeal against its verdict.”
In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Garba Lawal, the apex court dismissed the appeal of the PDP and its governorship candidate, Agboola Ajayi, seeking to nullify Aiyedatiwa’s victory.
The appellants had sought to nullify the election of Aiyedatiwa over allegations of discrepancies in the name of his running mate Olayide Adelami.
Ajayi had also challenged the legitimacy of Aiyedatiwa and the APC.
The appellants argued that Aiyedatiwa’s running mate, Adelami, who previously had the name “Jackson” as his middle name while in secondary school, had changed it to “Owolabi” without proper documentation.
However, the concurrent judgments of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal on the matter, which upheld the respondents’ qualifications, were affirmed.
Both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal dismissed Ajayi’s case on procedural grounds, upholding Aiyedatiwa’s victory.
Ajayi’s legal challenge, filed on June 7, 2024, claimed that Adelami’s eligibility was compromised due to the alleged falsification of documents.
Meanwhile, the respondents—Aiyedatiwa, Adelami, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission—contended that Ajayi lacked the locus standi to file the suit.
They also argued that the filing exceeded the 14-day window prescribed for such cases.
On December 2, 2024, the Federal High Court dismissed Ajayi’s case, ruling that criminal accusations of forgery required more substantial evidence, which could not be presented through an originating summons.
The Supreme Court, in its judgment upholding the lower courts’ judgments, dismissed the appellants’ suit challenging Aiyedatiwa’s qualification to run in the November 16, 2024, governorship election.
The apex court also held that the appellants lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to pursue the case.
The court declared that it found no legal basis to disqualify the deputy governor based on the appellants’ claims, stating that name changes, when properly documented, do not constitute electoral fraud or grounds for disqualification.
The court further held that the case was statute-barred, upholding the decisions of the lower courts.
It emphasised that the cause of action arose on May 20, 2024, when the nomination forms were submitted to INEC, but the appellants filed their suit at the Federal High Court on June 7, 2024, well beyond the 14-day limit prescribed by law.
The Supreme Court described the petition as baseless, frivolous, and lacking in merit, declaring it “statute-barred” as it was filed after the constitutionally mandated deadline.
Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, with the court ordering Agboola Ajayi to pay ₦2m in costs to each of the four respondents.
The Ondo APC Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, in his reaction, described the judgment as commendable.
He consequently urged the opposition to join hands with the governor to move the state forward.
He said, “The Supreme Court has now put this matter to rest, allowing our governor and his deputy, Olayide Adelami to focus on the critical responsibilities entrusted to them by the citizens of our great state. The time for governance is now, and we are committed to delivering the dividends of democracy to our people.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Olayide Adelami, for this well-deserved victory. Your leadership is a testament to the trust placed in you by the people, and I’m confident that you will continue to serve with integrity and dedication.
“Together, we will work towards a brighter future for Ondo State, ensuring that the voices of our citizens are heard and their needs addressed.”
