Akpabio Rejoices with Okpebholo on Supreme Court Victory
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has congratulated Governor Monday Okpebholo on his confirmation as the duly elected governor of Edo State following a unanimous verdict by the Supreme Court, which upheld his victory in the September 2024 gubernatorial election.
In a personally signed congratulatory message released on Friday in Abuja, Akpabio described the ruling as a clear triumph of democracy and an affirmation of the will of the Edo people.
“What the apex court in the land has done is to affirm the will and wishes of the overwhelming majority of the people of Edo State. It shows that the election was transparent, free and fair,” the Senate President stated.
Akpabio praised the ruling by the Supreme Court, which dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr. Asue Ighodalo, describing it as a testament to the integrity of the electoral process and the strength of grassroots support for Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“This judgment has again reaffirmed the fact that democracy is at play and the people of Edo have wholeheartedly embraced the All Progressives Congress (APC) and popularly elected their preferred choice of Senator Okpebholo as their governor,” he added.
The Senate President further expressed confidence in Okpebholo’s ability to lead the state effectively, citing his performance during the past seven months in office.
“He has done well in the past seven months and I believe he will do excellently well in his four-year tenure,” Akpabio said.
He pledged the Senate’s full cooperation with the Edo State government under Okpebholo’s leadership and assured him of federal legislative support in advancing the state’s development.
“On behalf of my family and constituents, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I extend my warmest congratulations to you and the wonderful people of Edo on this landmark victory at the Supreme Court,” Akpabio said. “I look forward to a robust working relationship with you.”
The congratulatory message followed the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling on Friday, in which a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba dismissed Ighodalo’s appeal for lack of merit.
The apex court upheld the decisions of both the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had earlier confirmed Okpebholo’s election as valid.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court held that the PDP and its candidate failed to present credible and admissible evidence to support allegations of irregularities, including over-voting and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The court noted that the appellants did not call key witnesses to back their claims and that some of the evidence, including data from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), was merely “dumped” on the tribunal without adequate linkage to specific polling units. It observed that the PDP failed to establish non-compliance in 432 out of the total 4,519 polling units in the state.
With the ruling, Governor Okpebholo’s mandate has been fully affirmed, solidifying his administration’s position ahead of the next phase of governance in Edo State.
