Governor Aiyedatiwa Responds to Court Decision Blocking His Re-Election Bid

A court in Akure has stopped Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa from running for another term in office.

The judge ruled that the Nigerian Constitution limits governors to just eight years in power. This decision came after a member of the governor’s party filed a case asking for clarity on the rules. The court agreed that letting the governor seek re-election could break the law by allowing more time in office than allowed.

Governor Aiyedatiwa called the ruling too soon and something that takes attention away from his work. He said people should not be talking about the next election in 2028 yet, since he just won a new term in November 2024.

His main goal now is to focus on helping the people of Ondo State with better services and projects. He feels this court case is just a way to distract him from doing his job well.

The case was brought by someone from the All Progressives Congress, the same party as the governor. They wanted the court to look at a part of the Constitution that says no governor can stay in power for more than eight years.

The judge used an old Supreme Court case as an example to support the decision. Other groups like the election body and the deputy governor were also part of the case.

Aiyedatiwa explained that he has faced tough challenges before, like fights within his party and even an attempt to remove him from office. But he came out stronger and won the recent election. He does not think about future elections right now because there is so much work to do. He also said his party is still strong in the state and that politics is all about having support from many people.

This ruling brings up questions about how long leaders can stay in power under the law. It might change how things work for future elections in Ondo State. For now, the governor wants everyone to let him get on with leading and making life better for residents. He believes jumping ahead to talk about re-election is not helpful at this time.

People in the state are watching to see what happens next. The decision shows how important it is to follow the Constitution strictly. It could set an example for other leaders across Nigeria facing similar issues with their time in office.