Election Petition Tribunal Dismisses AA’s Petition Against Ondo Governor Aiyedatiwa’s Victory
Akure, June 4, 2025 – The Ondo State Election Petition Tribunal has upheld the election victory of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and dismissed the petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) along with petitions from four other political parties challenging the November 16, 2024, governorship election results.
In a unanimous ruling delivered Wednesday evening, the three-member panel led by Justice Benson Ogbu declared that the petitions lacked merit and were legally untenable. The tribunal confirmed that Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) legitimately won the election with 366,781 votes.
The parties contesting the results included the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Allied People’s Movement (APM), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the Action Alliance (AA). The petitioners alleged electoral irregularities such as over-voting, multiple thumb-printing, and malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in many polling units.
However, the tribunal found the claims unsubstantiated due to lack of credible evidence. Specifically, the AA was dismissed on the grounds that it lacked locus standi, having failed to field a candidate in the election. The tribunal ruled that the claim of unlawful exclusion of the party’s name and logo from the ballot was no longer a valid ground for contesting election results following amendments to the Electoral Act.
The PDP candidate, Alfred Agboola Ajayi, challenged the qualification of Aiyedatiwa’s deputy governor, alleging forgery of his West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate. The tribunal dismissed this claim, noting it was a pre-election matter already settled in prior court rulings and not suitable for an election petition.
Justice Ogbu emphasized that the petitioners failed to prove that any alleged irregularities affected the election outcome.
“The petitioners failed to provide enough evidence. Their claims were weak, lacked seriousness, and could not stand in court,” the tribunal stated.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, who marked his 100 days in office recently, expressed gratitude for the judgment and called on opposition parties to support his administration’s efforts to develop Ondo State.
“Some political parties thought they could steal the mandate through the back door, but today, the judiciary has confirmed the decision of the majority of indigenes and residents of Ondo State. I am delighted and happy,” he said.
He extended an olive branch to the opposition, inviting them to contribute ideas toward the state’s progress.
PDP officials indicated respect for the tribunal’s decision but reserved the right to appeal after reviewing the judgment.
