The Supreme Court on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, dismissed the appeal filed by former Ondo State Deputy Governor and PDP governorship candidate, Chief Agboola Alfred Ajayi, challenging the eligibility of Deputy Governor Dr. Olayide Owolabi Adelami.
In case number SC/CV/106/2025—Agboola Ajayi & Anor v. Olayide Owolabi Adelami & Ors—the apex court ruled that the appellants lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to pursue the matter. It also declared the suit statute-barred, as it was filed beyond the 14-day constitutional window after the cause of action arose on May 20, 2024.
The court upheld the decisions of the lower courts and dismissed the appeal in its entirety. Additionally, Ajayi was ordered to pay ₦2 million in costs to each of the four respondents.
Ajayi had sought to disqualify Adelami over alleged discrepancies in his name change, arguing that the deputy governor’s former middle name, “Jackson,” was altered to “Owolabi” without proper documentation. However, the Supreme Court found no legal basis for the claim, ruling that documented name changes do not constitute electoral fraud or grounds for disqualification.
With the jurisdictional issues resolved against the appellants, the court unanimously ruled that the appeal lacked merit, bringing the legal battle to an end.
