November 8, 2025

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Ondo Election Tribunal: PDP’s Case Weakens as Tribunal Strikes Out Key Relief By Allen Sowore, Esq. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suffered another major setback in its legal battle over the Ondo State governorship election, as a critical relief in its petition was withdrawn and struck out by the Election Tribunal. On Thursday, February 13, 2025, at the Court of Appeal, the case filed by PDP candidate Alfred Agboola Ajayi, challenging the qualification of Deputy Governor Dr. Olayide Adelami, took an unexpected turn. The respondents submitted an Affidavit of Facts, revealing that the appeal had already been entered at the Supreme Court. Consequently, the appellants hurriedly withdrew their application for a stay of execution, leading the court to award a ₦1 million cost against them in favor of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respondents. This comes after the Court of Appeal in Akure, on January 28, 2025, upheld the December 2, 2024, judgment of the trial court, dismissing the PDP’s appeal and imposing a ₦500,000 fine in favor of the respondents. Despite these legal defeats, the PDP remains locked in an intense battle at the Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Akure. The tribunal, chaired by Hon. Justice B. A. N. Ogbu, with Hon. Justice Imelda B. Etape and Hon. Justice Sikkam as members, has been overseeing proceedings. At the pre-hearing session on February 10, 2025, the Tribunal directed all parties to identify their interlocutory applications, scheduling adoption and hearing for Saturday, February 15, 2025. When the Tribunal convened on February 15, the courtroom was packed with seasoned legal practitioners. The respondents’ legal team was led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, alongside Bode Olanipekun, SAN, Charles Edosomwan, SAN, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, SAN, Dr. Remi Olatubora, SAN, and others. Representing the petitioners were Bolaji Joel Akomolafe, SAN, Oyewole Awofade, and Adewole Adebayo. During the proceedings, tensions rose when Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, moved a preliminary objection, urging the Tribunal to strike out or dismiss the PDP’s petition for incompetence. He argued that the third relief in the PDP’s petition was improperly worded, resembling a judgment rather than a prayer for relief. Additionally, he pointed out a constitutional error in the relief’s reference. The contested relief stated: “By the remaining valid votes, the Governorship election of November 16, 2024, in Ondo State is hereby nullified for a fresh election between parties to this suit, the parties having failed to meet the compulsory requirement of Section 179(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) in respect of having not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the local government areas in the state.” With no solid counterargument, PDP’s lead counsel, Bolaji Joel Akomolafe, SAN, had no choice but to withdraw the relief. The Tribunal subsequently struck it out. Seizing the opportunity, Chief Olanipekun argued that since the struck-out relief was central to the petition, all related grounds should also be dismissed. He further questioned whether the Tribunal could still exercise jurisdiction over the matter, given that the PDP had already appealed the same issue at the Supreme Court. This development significantly weakens the PDP’s case, raising doubts about the sustainability of its legal challenge against Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa’s mandate. As Allen Sowore, Esq., aptly puts it: “When a lawyer suffers a thorough defeat in the courtroom, does he narrate the experience honestly to his clients? Perhaps, like the Yoruba saying goes, ‘Òjò tó pa ajẹ lórun, tó bá délé, kò ní lè sọ’—when witches get drenched in the rain, they do not disclose it at home.” Screenshot_20250216-085418_WhatsApp

Ondo Election Tribunal: PDP’s Case Weakens as Tribunal Strikes Out Key Relief By Allen Sowore, Esq. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suffered another major setback in its legal battle over the Ondo State governorship election, as a critical relief in its petition was withdrawn and struck out by the Election Tribunal. On Thursday, February 13, 2025, at the Court of Appeal, the case filed by PDP candidate Alfred Agboola Ajayi, challenging the qualification of Deputy Governor Dr. Olayide Adelami, took an unexpected turn. The respondents submitted an Affidavit of Facts, revealing that the appeal had already been entered at the Supreme Court. Consequently, the appellants hurriedly withdrew their application for a stay of execution, leading the court to award a ₦1 million cost against them in favor of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respondents. This comes after the Court of Appeal in Akure, on January 28, 2025, upheld the December 2, 2024, judgment of the trial court, dismissing the PDP’s appeal and imposing a ₦500,000 fine in favor of the respondents. Despite these legal defeats, the PDP remains locked in an intense battle at the Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Akure. The tribunal, chaired by Hon. Justice B. A. N. Ogbu, with Hon. Justice Imelda B. Etape and Hon. Justice Sikkam as members, has been overseeing proceedings. At the pre-hearing session on February 10, 2025, the Tribunal directed all parties to identify their interlocutory applications, scheduling adoption and hearing for Saturday, February 15, 2025. When the Tribunal convened on February 15, the courtroom was packed with seasoned legal practitioners. The respondents’ legal team was led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, alongside Bode Olanipekun, SAN, Charles Edosomwan, SAN, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, SAN, Dr. Remi Olatubora, SAN, and others. Representing the petitioners were Bolaji Joel Akomolafe, SAN, Oyewole Awofade, and Adewole Adebayo. During the proceedings, tensions rose when Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, moved a preliminary objection, urging the Tribunal to strike out or dismiss the PDP’s petition for incompetence. He argued that the third relief in the PDP’s petition was improperly worded, resembling a judgment rather than a prayer for relief. Additionally, he pointed out a constitutional error in the relief’s reference. The contested relief stated: “By the remaining valid votes, the Governorship election of November 16, 2024, in Ondo State is hereby nullified for a fresh election between parties to this suit, the parties having failed to meet the compulsory requirement of Section 179(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) in respect of having not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the local government areas in the state.” With no solid counterargument, PDP’s lead counsel, Bolaji Joel Akomolafe, SAN, had no choice but to withdraw the relief. The Tribunal subsequently struck it out. Seizing the opportunity, Chief Olanipekun argued that since the struck-out relief was central to the petition, all related grounds should also be dismissed. He further questioned whether the Tribunal could still exercise jurisdiction over the matter, given that the PDP had already appealed the same issue at the Supreme Court. This development significantly weakens the PDP’s case, raising doubts about the sustainability of its legal challenge against Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa’s mandate. As Allen Sowore, Esq., aptly puts it: “When a lawyer suffers a thorough defeat in the courtroom, does he narrate the experience honestly to his clients? Perhaps, like the Yoruba saying goes, ‘Òjò tó pa ajẹ lórun, tó bá délé, kò ní lè sọ’—when witches get drenched in the rain, they do not disclose it at home.”

Thefactuallens February 16, 2025
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suffered another major setback in its legal battle over the Ondo...
Read More Read more about Ondo Election Tribunal: PDP’s Case Weakens as Tribunal Strikes Out Key Relief By Allen Sowore, Esq. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suffered another major setback in its legal battle over the Ondo State governorship election, as a critical relief in its petition was withdrawn and struck out by the Election Tribunal. On Thursday, February 13, 2025, at the Court of Appeal, the case filed by PDP candidate Alfred Agboola Ajayi, challenging the qualification of Deputy Governor Dr. Olayide Adelami, took an unexpected turn. The respondents submitted an Affidavit of Facts, revealing that the appeal had already been entered at the Supreme Court. Consequently, the appellants hurriedly withdrew their application for a stay of execution, leading the court to award a ₦1 million cost against them in favor of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respondents. This comes after the Court of Appeal in Akure, on January 28, 2025, upheld the December 2, 2024, judgment of the trial court, dismissing the PDP’s appeal and imposing a ₦500,000 fine in favor of the respondents. Despite these legal defeats, the PDP remains locked in an intense battle at the Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Akure. The tribunal, chaired by Hon. Justice B. A. N. Ogbu, with Hon. Justice Imelda B. Etape and Hon. Justice Sikkam as members, has been overseeing proceedings. At the pre-hearing session on February 10, 2025, the Tribunal directed all parties to identify their interlocutory applications, scheduling adoption and hearing for Saturday, February 15, 2025. When the Tribunal convened on February 15, the courtroom was packed with seasoned legal practitioners. The respondents’ legal team was led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, alongside Bode Olanipekun, SAN, Charles Edosomwan, SAN, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, SAN, Dr. Remi Olatubora, SAN, and others. Representing the petitioners were Bolaji Joel Akomolafe, SAN, Oyewole Awofade, and Adewole Adebayo. During the proceedings, tensions rose when Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, moved a preliminary objection, urging the Tribunal to strike out or dismiss the PDP’s petition for incompetence. He argued that the third relief in the PDP’s petition was improperly worded, resembling a judgment rather than a prayer for relief. Additionally, he pointed out a constitutional error in the relief’s reference. The contested relief stated: “By the remaining valid votes, the Governorship election of November 16, 2024, in Ondo State is hereby nullified for a fresh election between parties to this suit, the parties having failed to meet the compulsory requirement of Section 179(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) in respect of having not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the local government areas in the state.” With no solid counterargument, PDP’s lead counsel, Bolaji Joel Akomolafe, SAN, had no choice but to withdraw the relief. The Tribunal subsequently struck it out. Seizing the opportunity, Chief Olanipekun argued that since the struck-out relief was central to the petition, all related grounds should also be dismissed. He further questioned whether the Tribunal could still exercise jurisdiction over the matter, given that the PDP had already appealed the same issue at the Supreme Court. This development significantly weakens the PDP’s case, raising doubts about the sustainability of its legal challenge against Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa’s mandate. As Allen Sowore, Esq., aptly puts it: “When a lawyer suffers a thorough defeat in the courtroom, does he narrate the experience honestly to his clients? Perhaps, like the Yoruba saying goes, ‘Òjò tó pa ajẹ lórun, tó bá délé, kò ní lè sọ’—when witches get drenched in the rain, they do not disclose it at home.”

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