BREAKING: Supreme Court affirms Edo Governor Monday Okpebholo’s election, dismisses PDP, Ighodalo’s appeal 

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Thursday affirmed the election victory of Edo State governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, following the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State.

This is based on a unanimous decision by a five-member panel of the apex court led by Justice Mohammed Garba.

Naijaonpoint previously reported that the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had affirmed the election victory of the Edo State governor, Senator Okpebholo.

Naijaonpoint previously reported that the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had, on April 2, 2025, dismissed the petition filed by the PDP and its candidate against the electoral victory of Senator Monday Okpebholo.

Justice Wilfred Kpochi of the Tribunal’s three-man panel delivered a unanimous judgment, stressing that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations of over-voting and electoral non-compliance.

Recall that the PDP and Ighodalo had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the governor, and others for declaring Sen. Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the poll, alleging that the election was marred by irregularities.

Dissatisfied with the outcome, the PDP and its candidate approached the Tribunal for redress, insisting that the governor did not win with the majority of lawful votes cast.

However, the APC and Okpebholo’s legal team urged the tribunal to dismiss the petitions as baseless and lacking merit.

They argued that the petitioners failed to substantiate allegations of an “invalid” poll.

Ruling on the petition, Justice Wilfred Kpochi held that it is the petitioner’s duty to prove electoral malpractice allegations against INEC, not the other way round.

Subsequently, the Appeal Court dismissed the appeal and affirmed the judgment of the tribunal.

Parties then approached the Supreme Court for final redress.

Passing its verdict, Justice Mohammed Garba, dismissed Ighodalo’s appeal as lacking in merit.

“The Appellant did not satisfactorily discharge the burden of proof placed on him by the law,” the Supreme Court held.

The apex court eventually affirmed the election of Okpebholo.