The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Thursday affirmed the election of Monday Okpebholo as the Governor of Edo State, dismissing the petition filed by Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
Following the judgment, the PDP announced its intention to challenge the decision at the Supreme Court.
In the September 2024 poll, Okpebholo, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), emerged victorious with 291,667 votes. He was followed by Ighodalo of the PDP, who garnered 247,274 votes, while Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party came third with 22,763 votes. Fourteen other candidates participated but trailed significantly behind.
The APC candidate secured a majority in over 10 of the state’s 18 local government areas and dominated two out of the three key senatorial districts, while the PDP managed narrow wins in the remaining councils.
Okpebholo was officially declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and assumed office on November 12, 2024, succeeding Godwin Obaseki of the PDP at the Dennis Osadebe House.
Unhappy with the election results, Ighodalo challenged Okpebholo’s victory at the election tribunal. However, in April 2025, a three-member panel led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi dismissed the petition, citing a lack of credible evidence. The tribunal emphasized that the petitioners failed to call essential witnesses such as polling unit officers or voters to substantiate claims of non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
Ighodalo subsequently appealed the ruling but faced another setback as the appellate court upheld the tribunal’s decision. With the Court of Appeal’s verdict, the PDP candidate’s only remaining legal option is the Supreme Court.