By Hon. Barr. Banji Okunomo, Spokesperson to the Governor during the 2024 Ondo Governorship Election
Today’s judgment delivered by the Ondo State Governorship Election Tribunal is a clear and resounding validation of the mandate freely and overwhelmingly given to His Excellency, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa by the good people of Ondo State. This victory, while celebrated, was entirely expected by those who witnessed the transparency and credibility of the election process.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mr. Agboola Ajayi, ventured into the tribunal in pursuit of a mandate that was never theirs. It is now time to advise the opposition to reflect deeply and refrain from wasting their party’s resources and the judiciary’s valuable time on fruitless pursuits.
While the law permits any dissatisfied candidate to challenge election results, it must be grounded in substantial evidence and valid legal grounds. As clearly outlined in Section 134(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, a petition can only succeed on any of the three grounds:
- That the declared winner was not qualified to contest the election.
- That the election was marred by corrupt practices or substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
- That the winner was not duly elected by the majority of lawful votes cast.
In this case, none of these grounds applied. The APC and Governor Aiyedatiwa ran a clean, legal, and overwhelmingly accepted campaign and election. In fact, for the first time in the history of Ondo State, a governorship candidate won convincingly across all 18 local government areas,(18 – 0) including the ward of the PDP candidate himself—a clear indication of a broad-based, statewide acceptance and endorsement.
The tribunal rightly held that the court is not a Father Christmas; it cannot award reliefs or mandates that are not deserved. The courtroom is a temple of justice where decisions are made based on facts, figures, and law—not sentiments or wishful thinking.
I want to applaud the judiciary for its courage, consistency, and steadfast commitment to upholding justice and the rule of law. This judgment not only affirms the will of the people but strengthens our democracy.
On behalf of the campaign team and as one who served as Spokesperson to Governor Aiyedatiwa during the last election, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to His Excellency and my profound appreciation to the people of Ondo State for their confidence, trust, and overwhelming support.
Congratulations, Gov. Aiyedatiwa.
Ondo State has spoken. Justice has prevailed. Democracy has triumphed.