President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended heartfelt congratulations to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of his electoral victory in the September 21, 2024 governorship election.
The President’s message came shortly after the Supreme Court of Nigeria, on Thursday, July 10, 2025, delivered its much-anticipated final judgment on the contentious legal battle surrounding the outcome of the Edo governorship poll.
In a unanimous decision, a five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, dismissed the appeal filed by Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for lacking merit.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Garba held that the appellants failed to provide credible and compelling evidence to support their allegations of electoral malpractices or irregularities.
Justice Garba emphasized that the appellants also could not demonstrate any miscarriage of justice in the rulings of the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, both of which had previously upheld Senator Monday Okpebholo’s victory.
“The appeal is hereby dismissed for lacking in merit,” he ruled. “Accordingly, the decisions of the tribunal and the Court of Appeal are affirmed.”
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu lauded Governor Okpebholo for his resilience and the democratic mandate reaffirmed by the judiciary.
The President urged Governor Okpebholo to embrace all segments of Edo society and to be magnanimous in victory, stressing the need for unity in the pursuit of sustainable development and inclusive governance.
“Now that the legal hurdles have been cleared, it is time to accelerate the delivery of quality governance and impactful service to the people of Edo State,” President Tinubu stated. “Governor Okpebholo has already shown promising signs in this direction, and I urge him to build on that momentum.”
Additionally, President Tinubu congratulated the leadership and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State for their steadfastness and commitment. He called for continued cohesion and dedication to fulfilling the party’s mandate and the expectations of the people.