ABUJA – On Thursday, the Supreme Court confirmed the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State. In a unanimous ruling by a five-member panel chaired by Justice Mohammed Garba, the court dismissed the appeal filed by Asuerinme Ighodalo, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), aimed at overturning the results of the governorship election held on September 21, 2024.
The court found no grounds to invalidate the concurrent judgments of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, both of which affirmed Okpebholo’s victory under the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Supreme Court noted that the appellant failed to provide credible evidence to support claims of electoral irregularities, such as over-voting, and did not adequately present relevant witnesses to validate his evidence.
Ighodalo had sought to challenge the May 29 ruling of the Court of Appeal, arguing that the election lacked substantial compliance with the Electoral Act. However, the Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s findings, stating that the burden of proof lay with the appellant, which he did not satisfactorily meet.