Asue Ighodalo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 21, 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election, has expressed dissatisfaction with the Court of Appeal’s judgment upholding the victory of Monday Okpebholo in the election.
In a statement issued after the court verdict on Thursday, Ighodalo described the ruling as deeply disappointing but reaffirmed his commitment to seeking justice through the Supreme Court.
“Today, the Court of Appeal delivered its judgment on our petition… As with the judgment of the Tribunal, we have received this decision with deep disappointment, but also with unwavering resolve to continue our pursuit of justice,” he said.
Ighodalo criticised the Appeal Court’s decision, accusing it of ignoring serious concerns his legal team raised regarding widespread electoral violations.
“These decisions appear, worryingly, to validate a dangerous pattern of electoral impunity that strikes at the very heart of our democracy and continues to erode public confidence in our electoral process,” he stated.
Emphasising that his legal challenge is not motivated by personal ambition, Ighodalo said his struggle is about defending the rights of the people of Edo State to choose their leaders through a free and fair process.
“Our struggle has never been about personal ambition. It has always been about standing with the people of Edo State and defending their sacred right to freely choose their leaders through a credible, transparent and fair election,” he said.
He also took issue with both the Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, arguing that their decisions “ignore the will of the people and reward blatant electoral irregularities.”
In response, Ighodalo has instructed his legal team to approach the Supreme Court in a final attempt to challenge the results and seek redress.
“We do so for every voter who queued patiently with hope in their hearts, for every young person who dreams of a better Edo State, and for every Nigerian who still believes that democracy must be well practiced to yield a great country,” he said.
Calling on supporters to remain calm, peaceful, and vigilant, Ighodalo said this is not the end of the struggle.
“It is simply the next chapter in our collective struggle for truth, justice, and a bright future for our dear Edo State,” the PDP candidate said.
“We remain resolute. We remain committed. We remain undaunted. And we shall not rest until the voices of our people are heard and their stolen mandate restored.”
In the September 2024 governorship election, Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged victorious with 291,667 votes, defeating the PDP’s Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes.
Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) finished a distant third with 22,763 votes.
Dissatisfied with the outcome of the poll, Ighodalo filed a petition at the election tribunal which was dismissed in April. The first runner-up then headed to the Court of Appeal, but he was unlucky. The Supreme Court will be the final arbiter on the case.
BusinessDay