Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has described a Federal High Court ruling barring him from seeking another term as premature and a distraction from governance.
The governor reacted to the judgement on Thursday while speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television.
Aiyedatiwa said discussions about the 2028 off-cycle governorship election were unnecessary at this stage, stressing that he had only recently secured a fresh mandate from voters.
“This is too early,” he said, adding that the issue of whether he can contest again should only arise when the election timetable is released closer to the 2028 poll.
The governor noted that his priority remains fulfilling the mandate given to him by the people of Ondo State during the November 16, 2024 governorship election.
According to him, the election victory is still fresh and his administration is currently focused on delivering development and governance rather than discussing future political contests.
He also said he had not begun examining how constitutional provisions on tenure might apply to his situation.
“I know about the constitutional provision of eight years, but I have not even gone into that because I just won an election,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa added that the lawsuit has created unnecessary distractions after what he described as intense political battles, including surviving an impeachment attempt.
Earlier on Thursday, the Federal High Court sitting in Akure restrained the governor from seeking another term in office.
In the judgement delivered by Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke, the court ruled that the 1999 Constitution limits elected executives including governors to a maximum of eight years in office.
The suit was filed by Kin Egbuwalo, a member of the All Progressives Congress, who asked the court to interpret constitutional provisions regarding Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility to contest again.
Through his counsel, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, the plaintiff argued that another term for the governor could potentially extend his tenure beyond the constitutional limit.
Other defendants in the case include the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the APC, and Deputy Governor Olayide Adelami.
Justice Adegoke relied on the precedent established in the Supreme Court case Marwa v. Nyako, which held that a President or Governor cannot remain in office for more than eight years.
