Ighodalo Heads to Appeal Court as Tribunal Affirms Gov. Okpebholo’s Election

The Abuja division of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has affirmed the election of All Progressives Congress (APC) Governor Monday Okpebholo, dismissing the appeal of Asue Ighodalo and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the outcome of the September 21, 2024, governorship election.

In a judgment delivered on April 1, 2025, the tribunal dismissed the complaints lodged by Ighodalo and the PDP, which accused the election of being marred by irregularities and non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022. Following a thorough consideration of the facts presented before them, the tribunal panel found there were no facts to back the claims by the petitioner, pronouncing that Ighodalo and the PDP did not have sufficient facts to establish the allegations.

In reaction to the tribunal verdict, Governor Okpebholo appreciated Edo State citizens for their unqualified support. He extended an olive branch to his immediate challenger, Asue Ighodalo, and invited him to come in and join him in defining the future of the state. He called for peace and unity and urged all to put hands together in constructing a better Edo State.

“I am hugely thankful to the people of Edo State for the trust and faith they have placed in me. The time to work and set our state as the pace setter of progress in Nigeria is now,” Okpebholo said in a statement after the ruling.

Despite the confirmation by the tribunal that he had won, PDP’s candidate, Ighodalo, was not content with the judgment. His lawyers asserted that they will appeal the ruling, meaning the court battle regarding the result of the election is not yet a settled matter.

Ighodalo, a renowned Nigerian lawyer and politician, had quit some of the largest positions earlier, including chairman of Sterling Bank and director at Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, to contest the 2024 governorship election. He sought to defeat Governor Okpebholo, but the tribunal’s decision has now aligned him with the election result.

With Ighodalo’s team planning to appeal the ruling of the tribunal, the matter is bound to proceed to the Court of Appeal, where the struggle for the September election will continue to be waged.

With the political drama unfolding, everyone holds their breaths for the events to follow in Edo State, as both sides prepare for the next phase of the legal battle.