The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed the petition filed against the victory of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the October 10, 2020 governorship election by Mr Eyitayo Jegede, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The legal firework has now ended today as the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land upheld the election of the Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu.
Recall that Mr Eyitayo Jegede had in June appealed the decision of the Court of Appeal that validated the election of Akeredolu in the poll.
It was reported on June 16, 2021, that the Court of Appeal led by Justice Theresa Orji-Abadua dismissed the petition filed by Jegede while affirming Akeredolu as the winner of the poll.
In its verdict, the Appeal Court had out of 7 issues raised for determination resolved four and half in favour of Jegede and the rest two and a half in favour of Akeredolu.
Not satisfied with the decision of the Appellate Court, both Akeredolu, Jegede, and INEC approached the Supreme Court for the invalidation of both the Election Petition Tribunal and Appeal Court judgements.
The case came up for hearing today at the Supreme Court.
The Seven Members of the Supreme Court Justices under the Chairmanship of Justice Mary Odili had initially adjourned till noon today (Wednesday) after listening to the arguments of all the lawyers of parties in the case.
Upon resumption from the two hours recess, the court dismissed the petition with four Justices upholding Akeredolu’s victory against the dissenting judgement of three other justices led by Justice Odili who read the dissenting verdict.
The majority said: “Jegede, the PDP candidate should have joined the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni in their case.”
