The Supreme Court has dismissed the legal challenge filed by Hon. Agboola Alfred Ajayi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the November 16, 2024 Ondo State governorship election, seeking to annul the election victory of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Dr. Olayide Owolabi Adelami.
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In its ruling delivered today, the apex court upheld the decisions of the lower courts, stating that the appellants lacked locus standi (legal standing) to pursue the case. The court further affirmed that the suit was statute-barred, as the cause of action arose on May 20, 2024, when the nomination forms were submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), whereas the appellants filed their suit on June 7, 2024—well beyond the 14-day legal window provided by the Electoral Act.
The Supreme Court also rejected the mode of commencement of the suit, stating that allegations of crime, such as forgery or false declarations, must be proven through oral evidence and not an originating summons. The ruling emphasized that an aspirant, as defined under Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act, 2022, must be a member of the political party that conducted the election, thereby rendering Ajayi’s claims against the All Progressives Congress (APC) invalid.
Ajayi’s case centered on allegations that Deputy Governor Adelami had altered his name from Jackson Owolabi to Olayide Owolabi without proper documentation. However, the Supreme Court ruled that name changes, when properly documented, do not constitute electoral fraud or grounds for disqualification.
Dismissing the appeal as frivolous, the court awarded a cost of ₦2 million against Ajayi to be paid to each of the four respondents, including Governor Aiyedatiwa, Deputy Governor Adelami, the APC, and INEC.
Governor Aiyedatiwa was represented by senior lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, while other top legal practitioners also appeared for the respondents.
With this ruling, the Supreme Court has put to rest all legal challenges surrounding the November 16, 2024 Ondo State governorship election, affirming the legitimacy of Governor Aiyedatiwa’s administration.
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