The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate for governor, Agboola Ajayi, appealed the eligibility of Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to run in the November 16, 2024, gubernatorial election, but the Supreme Court dismissed their case on Tuesday.
According to reports, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court, calling the appeal meritless, frivolous, and without foundation.
Justice Garba Lawal, who delivered the main ruling, reiterated that the lower courts made the right decision in rejecting the challenge against Aiyedatiwa’s candidacy.
Citing claims that his running mate, Olayide Owolabi Adelami, had engaged in document fraud, impersonation, and falsification, Ajayi and the PDP had attempted to disqualify Aiyedatiwa.
On procedural grounds, however, the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal had previously dismissed Ajayi’s case, arguing that there was insufficient evidence.
The Legal Battle Is Over In the Supreme Court
On June 7, 2024, Ajayi initially filed a lawsuit, claiming Adelami’s credentials were phony. Aiyedatiwa, Adelami, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were named as defendants in the lawsuit.
The respondents contended that since the lawsuit was brought beyond the 14-day constitutional window for pre-election disputes, Ajayi lacked the legal standing to bring it and therefore it was time-barred.
The Federal High Court dismissed the case on December 2, 2024, noting that the originating summons was insufficient to determine the criminal forgery claims, which required substantial proof.
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The court also decided that because the lawsuit was filed beyond the constitutionally mandated period, it was statute-barred.
Ajayi went to the Court of Appeal, which on January 18, 2025, affirmed the ruling of the High Court and fined him ₦500,000 for bringing an unfounded lawsuit.
The protracted legal dispute regarding Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility has now been resolved with the Supreme Court’s most recent decision.
