The Supreme Court has affirmed Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected Governor of Edo State, putting an end to a prolonged legal battle over the September 2024 gubernatorial election.
Newsonspot reports that delivering judgment on Thursday, July 10, 2025, a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba Lawal upheld the decisions of both the Court of Appeal and the election tribunal, ruling that the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate Asue Ighodalo lacked merit.
The apex court held that the appellants failed to prove their allegations of electoral irregularities, unlawful votes, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed in its entirety.
The legal dispute followed the INEC declaration of Okpebholo as the winner of the fiercely contested Edo poll, where he polled 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo who garnered 247,274 votes. Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata finished a distant third with 22,763 votes.
Following the announcement of results, Ighodalo and the PDP contested the outcome at the tribunal, citing election malpractice and calling for the poll to be annulled. However, their petition was dismissed in April 2025, a decision upheld again by the Court of Appeal.
Reacting to the Supreme Court’s verdict, Governor Okpebholo extended an olive branch to his political opponents and called for unity in governance. His Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, described the ruling as a collective victory for all Edo people, regardless of political or ethnic differences.
“The elections are over; the real work of governance and healing must begin,” the governor stated. “Let this victory ignite a new era of unity, dialogue, and impact-driven leadership.”
He urged political stakeholders across party lines to join hands in building a stronger, united Edo State.
