Former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has expressed his disappointment with the Supreme Court's decision to affirm Senator Monday Okpebholo as the duly elected governor of Edo State.
In a statement released on Thursday, Obaseki reiterated his belief that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, were the rightful winners of the governorship election held on September 21, 2024.
Obaseki acknowledged that the PDP had pursued legal avenues through the Election Petition Tribunal, the Court of Appeal, and finally the Supreme Court, driven by their conviction that the election results were manipulated. However, he expressed surprise that all the courts ruled against them.
While stating his strong disagreement with the Supreme Court's verdict, Obaseki affirmed his commitment to the rule of law and acknowledged that the decision is binding.
He cautioned that the manner in which the Edo election was conducted and subsequently validated by the judiciary poses a "grave danger for Nigeria’s democracy."
He concluded his statement by urging the people of Edo State to maintain faith and perseverance, trusting that "only He [God] knows the appropriate time and manner to deliver divine justice and redemption to our people."
Earlier on Thursday, the Supreme Court had dismissed the appeal filed by Ighodalo, upholding Okpebholo's election. A five-member panel of the apex court, in a unanimous decision delivered by Justice Lawal Garba, ruled that the appellants failed to substantiate their claims of over-voting, non-compliance with the Electoral Act, and other irregularities.
The court noted that Ighodalo challenged results from only 395 of the 4,519 polling units and that the testimonies of his 19 witnesses did not support his case.
Justice Garba found no convincing evidence to overturn the previous decisions of the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, both of which had affirmed Okpebholo's victory.