Court of Appeal Delivers Blow to PDP, Confirms Okpebholo as Edo Governor

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has upheld the election of Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected Governor of Edo State. In a ruling delivered on Thursday, the appellate court dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, challenging the outcome of the September 21, 2024 governorship election.

The court ruled that the PDP and Ighodalo failed to provide sufficient evidence to support their claims of electoral irregularities, including allegations of vote manipulation, overvoting, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act. It affirmed the earlier decision of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had also dismissed the PDP’s petition for lack of merit.

Reacting to the judgment, the PDP expressed disappointment and announced plans to appeal the ruling at the Supreme Court. The party described the decision as a temporary setback and reiterated its belief that Ighodalo was the legitimate winner of the election.

The September 21 election was a closely watched and highly competitive race between Okpebholo, a former senator who secured the APC ticket after a tough primary, and Ighodalo, a lawyer and businessman positioned as the PDP’s best chance to reclaim the state following Governor Godwin Obaseki’s two-term tenure.

Following the declaration of Okpebholo as winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP swiftly rejected the results and sought redress through the courts, alleging widespread electoral malpractice. After failing to overturn the results at the tribunal, the party took the case to the Court of Appeal, hoping for a favorable outcome.

With Thursday’s ruling, the APC is set to strengthen its grip on Edo State, even as the PDP prepares for a final legal battle at the Supreme Court. The nation now awaits the decision of the apex court, which will ultimately determine the final outcome of the hotly contested governorship election.