July 10, (THEWILL) — The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court’s ruling which upheld the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
THEWILL earlier reported that the apex court, in a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba, dismissed Ighodalo’s appeal for lack of merit, thereby affirming Okpebholo as the duly elected governor of Edo State.
In a personal statement released on Thursday, Ighodalo thanked Edo people for their overwhelming support and said the court’s decision did not reflect justice.
“I feel your pain. I share your anger. And I will never forget your courage,” he wrote.
While acknowledging the finality of the Supreme Court’s judgment, Ighodalo described the governorship election as a “coordinated and deliberate robbery” that had now been tragically validated.
“Though I accept the finality of its judgment, I do not and cannot pretend that what was delivered amounts to justice. What happened in the September 2024 Governorship Election was not a contest. It was a robbery. Coordinated. Deliberate. And now, tragically validated by the highest court in the land.
“While I will not and cannot obstruct any judicial pronouncement, no matter how flawed, I must never fear to speak truth to power,” he stated.
Ighodalo lamented that institutions entrusted with protecting democracy had failed the people and said the will of voters had been trampled without consequence.
“You came out in hope. You voted for competence, for progress, for prosperity. And now, we are told that your voice does not matter. That your freely given mandate can be trampled without consequence,” he said.
He vowed that the PDP’s movement would continue despite the setback: “We may not have won the office, but we won something greater. We found one another.
We discovered our collective strength. The struggle to reclaim the soul of our beloved state continues.”
He urged those who now hold power to govern with humility and conscience, warning that “history sees what the courts may not.”
Meanwhile, former Governor Godwin Obaseki has also reacted strongly to the ruling, describing the court’s validation of the election as a threat to the nation’s democratic future.
In a statement on Thursday, Obaseki thanked Edo people and Nigerians for standing by the PDP and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie.
He described the PDP’s loss in court as deeply disappointing, noting that all legal steps taken—from the tribunal to the Court of Appeal and finally the Supreme Court—had failed to deliver justice.
“It is based on this conviction, and our belief that the results were manipulated, that we took steps to seek legal redress. Unfortunately, and most surprisingly, all the courts have ruled against us,” he said.
While affirming respect for the rule of law, Obaseki warned of the implications of the ruling for the country’s democracy.
“We want to caution that the iconic manner in which the Edo election was manipulated, coupled with the judicial validation it has received, portends grave danger for Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
He urged the people of Edo State to remain resilient and hopeful, placing their trust in divine justice.
“As people of faith, we leave our matter in God’s hands, trusting that only He knows the appropriate time and manner to deliver divine justice and redemption to our people,” Obaseki added.
He encouraged citizens to “keep hope alive” as the party continues its struggle to “redeem our fatherland.”
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