Supreme Court judgement: Tinubu asks Okpebholo to be magnanimous in victory

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State on the affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the election, Asue Ighodalo, had alleged corruption and non-compliance in the electoral act in the election, adding that Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) failed […]

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State on the affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the election, Asue Ighodalo, had alleged corruption and non-compliance in the electoral act in the election, adding that Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) failed to win a majority of lawful votes despite INEC declaring it had 247,655 votes against 291,667 of the PDP.

In the lead judgement Justice Garba Lawal, the apex court held that “The appellant did not satisfactorily discharge the burden of proof placed on him by the law.”

The Apex Court, therefore, as the final arbiter, upheld the governor’s election.

In a congratulatory message through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President encouraged Governor Okpebholo to be “magnanimous in victory and rally the citizens of Edo across divides towards a singular vision of advancing the state’s development.”

The President also advised that now that the governor had cleared the legal hurdles, “it is time for him to accelerate the delivery of exceptional services and good governance to the people of Edo State, which he has already begun to do.

“President Tinubu also congratulates the leadership and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State and calls for cohesion and dedication in effectively discharging the mandate given by the people.”