The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, dismissing an appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Agboola Ajayi. The ruling ends a legal battle challenging Aiyedatiwa’s election victory.
The apex court’s decision, delivered by Justice Garba Lawal, rejected Ajayi’s appeal on the grounds that it lacked merit. The court noted that the case had no solid legal basis and was therefore dismissed.
This ruling aligns with previous decisions made by both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, which had earlier upheld Aiyedatiwa’s election win. The courts ruled that Ajayi’s claims regarding the eligibility of the governor’s deputy, Owolabi Adelami, were not sufficient to overturn the election results.
Ajayi had accused Adelami of forgery, impersonation, and using a false identity. He argued that these allegations made Adelami unqualified to hold office, which in turn, he claimed, affected the legitimacy of Aiyedatiwa’s election. However, the courts ruled that these claims did not meet the legal requirements needed to challenge the election outcome.
Legal documents show that Ajayi’s case was first filed on June 7, 2024. However, the defendants—including Aiyedatiwa, Adelami, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)—argued that the case was filed after the 14-day deadline allowed for such petitions. They also contended that Ajayi lacked the legal standing to bring the lawsuit.
On December 2, 2024, the Federal High Court dismissed the case, stating that allegations of forgery required stronger evidence, which could not be established through an originating summons. The court also ruled that the petition was “statute-barred,” meaning it was filed after the legally permitted timeframe.
Ajayi’s appeal to the Court of Appeal faced the same fate. On January 18, 2025, the appellate court upheld the High Court’s ruling and imposed a N500,000 fine on Ajayi.
