The Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, located in Akure, has rejected all petitions contesting the results of the November 16, 2024, governorship election, which was won by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The tribunal, led by Justice Benson Ogubu and comprising three members, deemed the claims from five opposition parties—Action Alliance (AA), Allied People’s Movement (APM), Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)—as unfounded and without merit.
During a judgment that lasted over eight hours and was delivered on Wednesday evening, the tribunal concluded that the challenges to Aiyedatiwa’s victory and that of his deputy were baseless and thus dismissed.
PDP candidate Alfred Agboola Ajayi had questioned the qualifications of Aiyedatiwa’s deputy, alleging that he had submitted a forged West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate.
The petitioners pointed out discrepancies involving three different names, arguing that these inconsistencies should have invalidated the APC ticket, thereby impacting the governor’s victory. The PDP also claimed widespread violations of Section 73(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022, asserting that Form EC25B was improperly completed in 3,834 polling units, which represents 97 percent of the state’s total of 3,933 units.
In its judgment, the tribunal dismissed the allegations of certificate forgery, stating that the issue had already been resolved by the Federal High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court.
The tribunal emphasized that all parties are bound by these judicial decisions. Additionally, it ruled that the claims regarding non-qualification should be removed from the election petition, as they pertained to pre-election matters.
The tribunal noted that Form EC25B, as referenced by the petitioner, did not require the inclusion of serial numbers, indicating that only the essential information was necessary.
The tribunal also dismissed claims of over-voting as it ruled that the petitioners failed to prove the allegation, as none of the witnesses tendered the BVAS machines or related data necessary to substantiate the claim.
