The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the election of Monday Okpebholo as the Governor of Edo State, dismissing the case of Asue Ighodalo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A three-member panel of the appellate court led by Justice Mohammed Danjuma unanimously held that Ighodalo’s appeal was unmeritorious.
The court held that Ighodalo failed to show that the election tribunal erred in its decision, affirming the judgment of the tribunal.
“The appellants failed to show that the election tribunal erred in its decision,” the court said.
Ighodalo, however, rejected the judgment and vowed to contest it at the Supreme Court. Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured 291,667 votes in the September 21, 2024 governorship election, defeating Ighodalo who got 247,274 votes.
The APC candidate cleared more than 10 of the 18 local government areas, while Ighodalo had marginal victories in the other local councils.
Okpebholo was declared elected by INEC and sworn in as governor on November 12, 2024.
Ighodalo had approached the election petition tribunal to disqualify Okpebholo, but the tribunal dismissed his petition in April 2025.
The tribunal ruled that Ighodalo failed to call competent witnesses to prove allegations of non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
