Nigeria’s Supreme Court has delivered its final verdict on the hotly contested Edo State governorship election, unanimously upholding Senator Monday Okpebholo’s victory and dismissing all challenges by PDP candidate Asue Ighodalo. In a decisive ruling that spanned nearly five months of legal battles, the five-member judicial panel found Ighodalo’s claims of electoral irregularities unconvincing, cementing the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate’s position as the duly elected governor.
The apex court’s judgment, delivered by Justice Lawal Garba, concluded that the PDP failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove their allegations of over-voting and electoral malpractices during the September 2024 polls. This final ruling affirms earlier decisions by both the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, bringing legal certainty to the political leadership of Nigeria’s heartbeat state.
Key Details of the Judgment
✔ Unanimous Decision: A 5-member panel led by Justice Lawal Garba upheld Okpebholo’s victory
✔ Reason for Dismissal: Ighodalo failed to prove over-voting and non-compliance with the Electoral Act
✔ Evidence Shortfall: Only 395 of 4,519 polling units were challenged, and 19 witnesses were deemed insufficient
✔ Lower Courts Aligned: Earlier rulings by the Election Tribunal and Appeal Court were affirmed
Background of the Case
- Election Outcome: INEC declared Okpebholo winner with 291,667 votes vs Ighodalo’s 247,655 votes
- PDP’s Allegations:
- Over-voting in 765 polling units
- Non-serialisation of ballots
- Incorrect collation of results
- Tribunal Ruling (April 2025): Dismissed PDP’s petition for lack of concrete evidence
- Appeal Court (May 2025): Upheld tribunal’s decision, calling the appeal “devoid of merit”
Why the Supreme Court Ruled Against Ighodalo
🔹 No Link Between Claims & Evidence: BVAS machines were presented but not demonstrated in court
🔹 Hearsay Testimonies: Witnesses could not directly prove irregularities
🔹 Insufficient Polling Unit Coverage: Only 8.7% of total units were contested
🔹 No Proof of INEC Non-Compliance: Tribunal found ballots had serial numbers
What This Means for Edo State
✅ Political Stability: Ends months of legal uncertainty
✅ APC Consolidation: Strengthens party’s hold in South-South
✅ Precedent Set: Reinforces courts’ stance on burden of proof in election cases
Supreme Court’s Final Word:
“The appellant failed to prove, beyond doubt, that the election was marred by irregularities. We find no reason to overturn the lower courts’ judgments.”
