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The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has upheld the election of Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the duly elected governor of Edo State. The judgment, delivered on Thursday, May 29, 2025, marks a significant legal victory for both Okpebholo and the APC, following months of post-election litigation.
A three-member panel of justices unanimously dismissed the appeal filed by Asue Ighodalo, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), along with his party.
The appellants had approached the appellate court seeking to overturn the outcome of the Edo State governorship election held on September 21, 2024, in which Okpebholo was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In their ruling, the justices of the Court of Appeal concluded that the appeal was devoid of merit. They noted that Ighodalo and the PDP failed to substantiate their claims or demonstrate any legal or procedural error in the judgment previously delivered by the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal. That tribunal had, on April 2, 2025, affirmed the legitimacy of Okpebholo’s election, dismissing the petition filed against him.
The appellate court further emphasized that the findings and conclusions reached by the tribunal were sound, thorough, and consistent with established legal principles. According to the court, there was no compelling evidence or argument presented by the appellants that would warrant a reversal of the tribunal’s decision.
With this ruling, Monday Okpebholo’s victory in the September 2024 governorship election stands confirmed, solidifying his mandate as the governor of Edo State. The Court of Appeal’s decision brings to a close the legal contest over the election results, reaffirming the integrity of the electoral process and the legitimacy of the outcome.