The Supreme Court on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, confirmed the election of Ondo State Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, dismissing all three appeals filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and the All Peoples Movement (APM).
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At the hearing, Mr. Reuben Egwuaba represented the PDP; Chief Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwan, SAN, appeared for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); while Governor Aiyedatiwa was represented by Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, alongside Dr. Remi Olutubora, SAN, and Kolawole Olowookere, SAN. Deputy Governor Olayide Adelami was represented by Chief Hakeem Afolabi, SAN, with Chief S.O. Ajayi, SAN, Omosanya Popoola, SAN, and Idris Abubakar, SAN. Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, led the All Progressives Congress (APC) legal team, alongside Dr. Olajide Ajana, SAN, Professor Abdulkareem Kana, SAN, and APC National Secretary Dr. Ajibola Bashiru.
When the cases were called, Egwuaba informed the court that the PDP and its governorship candidate, Mr. Alfred Agboola Ajayi, had instructed him to withdraw their appeal, leading to a notice of withdrawal filed on September 16, 2025. Counsel to the SDP, Mr. Adewole Adebayo, explained that the party’s candidate, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye, died on August 13, 2025, prompting withdrawal of the appeal. Adebayo, also acting for the APM, withdrew its appeal on grounds of lack of merit.
The respondents did not oppose the withdrawals but expressed frustration over what they described as frivolous appeals that wasted time, money, and the Supreme Court’s resources.
Presiding Justice Inyang Okoro, delivering the ruling, criticized the filing of baseless petitions that had already been settled in law. He noted that APM, for example, called only one witness in a petition challenging results from 18 local governments and over 3,000 polling units. Justice Okoro stressed that, absent the PDP’s withdrawal and the SDP candidate’s death, the court would have sanctioned counsel and appellants for abusing judicial process. He cautioned lawyers against filing such appeals in the future. The panel subsequently dismissed all three appeals.
Reacting to the decision, Governor Aiyedatiwa’s lead counsel, Adegboruwa, SAN, commended the Supreme Court’s handling of the cases:
“I commend the Supreme Court for its proactive stand in identifying frivolous cases for dismissal and for hearing these appeals during its vacation period, given the constitutional timeline. I also salute the industry of the justices in managing their heavy workload. There must, however, be consequences for filing frivolous cases, and I call for reforms to strengthen ethics and accountability.”
Adegboruwa added that with the governor’s mandate now fully affirmed, the administration would focus on development and delivery of campaign promises.
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