On June 4, 2025, the Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Akure delivered its judgment, affirming Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s victory in the November 16, 2024, election.
The three-man panel, led by Justice Rose Abang, dismissed petitions by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Agboola Ajayi, who alleged electoral fraud, non-compliance with the Electoral Act, and Aiyedatiwa’s ineligibility. Aiyedatiwa, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polled 356,787 votes (55%) against Ajayi’s 201,345 (31%), per INEC’s results from 3,933 polling units. The tribunal ruled that petitioners failed to prove irregularities beyond reasonable doubt, citing 90% compliance with INEC’s 2024 guidelines.
The PDP claimed over-voting in 200 units and BVAS tampering, but the tribunal upheld INEC’s 95% accreditation accuracy, dismissing 1,000 disputed votes as statistically insignificant. Aiyedatiwa’s counsel, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, praised the verdict, while PDP’s Tayo Jegede vowed to appeal, alleging 30% of evidence was ignored.
The judgment, streamed to 50,000 viewers, reinforces Ondo’s 70% voter turnout, the highest since 2016. Public reactions are mixed: 60% of Akure residents in polls support the ruling, but Idanre, an Ajayi stronghold, saw 1,000 protesters. The case, costing ₦200 million in legal fees, underscores Nigeria’s 500 pending election disputes, with 20% at the Supreme Court. Aiyedatiwa’s $2 billion budget implementation now faces scrutiny, as 40% inflation challenges his campaign promises.