JUST IN: Supreme Court Gives Final Verdict On Akeredolu Of Ondo State

The Supreme Court has affirmed Rotimi Odunayo Akeredolu as the duly elected governor of Ondo State, South-West Nigeria.

In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, the court dismissed the appeal filed by Eyitayo Jegede, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Recall the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Akeredolu as the winner of the October 10, 2020 governorship election, having polled a total of 292,830 votes to defeat Jegede, who secured 195,791 votes.

However, Jegede approached the tribunal to challenge the governor’s reelection.

The PDP candidate had told the tribunal that the election was marred by “irregularities, violence and intimidation of eligible voters.”

He also submitted that Akeredolu and Lucky Aiyedatiwa, deputy governorship candidate, were not duly nominated by their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

But in a judgment delivered on April 20, the tribunal dismissed Jegede’s petition.

“The issue raised therein in this petition are settled issues of internal affairs and management of a political party which this tribunal has no jurisdiction,” the tribunal had ruled.

The Court of Appeal on June 16 also dismissed Jegede’s appeal.

Onyechi Ikpeazu, counsel to the PDP candidate, had approached the appellate court saying Akeredolu’s nomination by his party was unconstitutional.

Akeredolu is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and was President of the Nigerian Bar Association till 2008. He was a Managing Partner at the Law Firm of Olujinmi & Akeredolu, a Law Firm he co-founded with Chief Akin Olujinmi, a former Attorney General and Minister for Justice in Nigeria.