The Ondo state election petition tribunal on Wednesday affirmed the victory of Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 16, 2024, governorship election.
The tribunal dismissed petitions submitted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Action Alliance (AA) against Aiyedatiwa’s election, citing a lack of merit and insufficient evidence.
Delivering the lead judgment, Benson Ogubu, one of the judges, said the allegations of academic certificate forgery, over-voting, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act were not substantiated by the petitioners.
Ogbudu said the tribunal found the evidence presented by the APM and SDP to be of no probative value and was based on speculation rather than concrete facts.
The tribunal also ruled that the AA lacked the locus standi to challenge the election results, noting that the party did not field a candidate and dismissed claims of corrupt practices and vote buying due to a lack of credible evidence.
