In a scathing judgment delivered on Wednesday evening, the Ondo State Election Petition Tribunal emphatically dismissed the petition filed by Agboola Ajayi, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing it as incompetent, lacking merit, and a woeful failure to prove any of the alleged electoral malpractices.
Ajayi, alongside candidates from four other opposition parties, had challenged the outcome of the November 16, 2024, governorship election, which was won by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 366,781 votes.
The petitioners claimed the election was riddled with irregularities including multiple thumbprinting, over-voting, and failures in the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
But the three-man panel led by Justice Benson Ogbu came down hard on the PDP candidate, declaring that he had “failed woefully” to provide any credible evidence to support his claims.
“There is no way the tribunal could determine the extent of non-compliance since the petitioners failed to bring convincing proof before this court,” the tribunal ruled.
The judges held that the PDP’s petition was not only riddled with unsubstantiated allegations but also showed a lack of diligence in presentation. They struck out all claims of corrupt practices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act for being incompetent and unproven.
No Evidence, No Case
The tribunal emphasized that Ajayi’s failure to discharge the burden of proof was central to the petition’s downfall.
Despite alleging widespread malpractice, the PDP and its legal team could not back their claims with documents, witness testimony, or verifiable data.
PDP Mulls Appeal
Reacting to the ruling, PDP counsel Olujimi Oluseye acknowledged the setback, stating, “We respect the judges, but it didn’t go in our favour. We will study the Certified True Copy of the judgment and determine next steps, including the possibility of an appeal.”
Aiyedatiwa Celebrates Mandate Reaffirmation
Governor Aiyedatiwa, celebrating the judgment, described it as a reaffirmation of the people’s will, thanking Ondo State residents for their overwhelming support.
“This mandate has just been reaffirmed by the tribunal. I call on all, including the opposition, to join hands with us to move our state forward,” he said.
With this ruling, Aiyedatiwa cements his position as the 7th democratically elected governor of Ondo State, while the opposition faces an uphill battle if they choose to appeal.
