The apex court had, on Wednesday, dismissed the appeal by Eyitayo Jegede and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, on the grounds that it was incompetent.

The APC, in a statement issued by the National Secretary of its Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, titled, APC Hails Governor Akeredolu’s Supreme Court Election Victory, said the Akeredolu administration was now poised to redouble the tempo of quality service delivery and consolidate its giant strides in the critical areas of education, healthcare delivery, infrastructure development, security, youth empowerment and industrialisation.

The statement partly reads, “For many residents of the Sunshine State who joked that Akeredolu has turned the state into a busy construction site, it rings true for a man who is truly passionate about the development of his independent-minded, enlightened and progressive people and state. Governor Akeredolu has followed up his people-oriented policies with several other developmental initiatives which are returning Ondo State to its deserved status and consolidating on the landmark and progressive legacies of late Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin, the first civilian governor of the state.”

However, the PDP argued that the split judgment by the Supreme Court showed that there was merit in its appeal against Akeredolu’s election as governor.

The party, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, titled, Ondo: Supreme Court’s Split Judgment Vindicates Our Appeal – PDP, noted that the majority judgment as presented by the Supreme Court did not address the impunity in the action of the Yobe Governor, Mai Mala Buni, in functioning as the Chairman of the APC while at the same time holding office as a sitting governor, contrary to the provisions of Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as the constitution of the APC.

The statement partly read, “The fact that three justices out of the seven-man panel upheld our position on the illegality of Akeredolu’s nomination confirms that his candidacy as cancerous and a brazen violation of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as the constitution of the APC. It is noteworthy that the judgement did not disagree with our position that Mai Mala Buni as Governor of Yobe State cannot function as National Chairman of a political party and nominate a candidate for election to the Independent National Electoral Commission. While our party restates its utmost respect for the institution of the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, the PDP had expected the apex court to stand up as the conscience of our nation by halting the absurdities and impunities being entrench in the political firmament by the APC. The quest for a legal pronouncement that will guide the sanctity of our electoral system was the reason the PDP had explored our point of grievance legally to the highest court in the land, in the interest of the nation, and not just because of our candidate, Eyitayo Jegede. The PDP however urges our members in Ondo state and Nigerians at large not to allow the development make them lose hope but to remain calm and law-abiding in the general interest of the nation.”

The debate, themed, ‘2020 Ondo Governorship Election: Face the Voters’ was organised by media organisations, labour unions, civil societies, religious bodies and other critical stakeholders in the state.

The moderator of the debate, Akinwumi Abodunde, said that the four political parties were invited for the debate but while APC’s Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, PDP’s Eyitayo Jegede and Social Democratic Party’s Peter Fasua were present at the debate, Ajayi was absent.

He said “We invited candidate of APC, PDP, SDP and ZLP for this debate and none of the candidates showed any sign of not attending as at one hour to the programme. But only the candidate of APC and SDP – Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and Mr Peter Fasua respectively were present at the scheduled time,’’

Eyitayo won the party’s governorship primaries held at the International Culture and Events Center, the dome in Akure, the state capital on Wednesday, July 22.

He polled a total of 888 votes to defeat his closest rival and incumbent Deputy Governor of the state, Agboola Ajayi who garnered 657 votes.

With this development, Jegede will now battle the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and incumbent governor, Rotimi Akeredolu in the governorship election which is barely three months away.