The long legal battle for the soul of Edo State ended on Thursday morning in Nigeria’s apex court, as the Supreme Court delivered a final, emphatic verdict: Senator Monday Okpebholo remains the duly elected Governor of Edo State.
The courtroom was tense but expectant as the five-man panel of Justices filed in, ready to put to rest months of political uncertainty. In a ruling that pulled no punches, the apex court dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, describing it as “lacking in merit.”
The PDP had alleged electoral irregularities in 395 polling units, a fraction of the 5,019 polling stations across the state. But the court held that the petitioners failed to prove substantial non-compliance as required by Section 135 of the Electoral Act.
“The appellants did not discharge the onus of proof imposed on them,” the court ruled, echoing the decisions of both the tribunal and the Court of Appeal.
A critical turning point in the judgment was the Supreme Court’s agreement with the lower court’s decision to strike out BVAS machine data submitted by the PDP. The evidence, the Justices affirmed, was neither properly tendered nor supported by credible witness testimony.
With that, the court drew the curtains on the legal challenge, stating unequivocally that the appeal “was without merit.” In a gesture of finality, the Justices made no order as to cost, effectively closing the case without penalties.
The ruling marks a significant triumph for Governor Okpebholo, who now has the full judicial seal backing his electoral mandate. From the tribunal to the apex court, every legal hurdle has now been cleared.
For Asue Ighodalo and the PDP, the judgment signals the end of a political pursuit that never quite broke through the judicial threshold of proof.
As the news spread, supporters of the governor celebrated the verdict across Edo, calling it a victory not just for their candidate, but for democratic due process.
With legal battles behind him, Governor Okpebholo can now fully turn his focus to governance—uninterrupted, unchallenged, and legitimized by the highest court in the land.
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