A Distraction’, Aiyedatiwa Reacts To Court Ruling Barring Him From Seeking Re-election

A Federal High Court in Akure earlier restrained the governor from seeking another term, ruling that the 1999 Constitution limits elected executives to eight years in office.

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has reacted to a ruling of the Federal High Court in Akure restraining him from seeking another term in office, describing the decision as premature and a distraction from governance.

The governor reacted to the judgement while speaking as a guest on Thursday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.

Aiyedatiwa said discussions about the 2028 off-cycle governorship election were unnecessary at this stage, noting that he had only recently secured a fresh mandate from the people of the state.

“This is too early. Why don’t you wait till 2027 or when the off-cycle timetable will be out in early 2028? Maybe at that time, I might begin to think, wait a minute, do I have the right to contest or not? At that time, one can begin to seek interpretation of some of these clauses in the constitution,” he said.

The governor stressed that his focus remains on delivering on the mandate given to him by voters in the November 16, 2024, governorship election.

“I went into a free and fair, conclusive election, which I won on the 16th of November 2024, so it is still fresh. I have never thought about any other election other than delivering on the mandate that has been given to me.

“Future elections were not in my mind at all because you have to go step by step, stage by stage,” Aiyedatiwa stated.

He added that although he was aware of the constitutional provision limiting a governor’s tenure to eight years, he had not begun considering how it might apply to him.

“I know the constitutional provision of eight years, but I have not even gone into that because I just won an election. All I was occupied with was to govern and deliver the dividends of democracy to the people until somebody woke up and began to challenge it,” the governor said.

Aiyedatiwa also described the suit as a distraction after the political battles he had already faced.

“You ask how I feel. I feel the same way. This distraction will be put to rest because it is a whole lot of distraction for me, having gone through election and survived impeachment,” he said.

Responding to political insinuations surrounding the suit, Aiyedatiwa dismissed claims that he was engaged in a political witch hunt or forcing members out of the All Progressives Congress.

According to him, the party remains dominant in Ondo State, and politics is ultimately “a game of numbers,” adding that he is not chasing anyone away from the party.

Court Ruling

Earlier on Thursday, a Federal High Court sitting in Akure restrained the governor from seeking another term in office.

In the judgement delivered by Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke, the court held that the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria does not permit an elected President, Vice President, Governor, or Deputy Governor to remain in office for more than eight years.

The suit was filed by Kin Egbuwalo, a member of the All Progressives Congress, who sought an interpretation of Section 137(3) of the Constitution regarding Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility to seek another term.

Through his counsel, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), the plaintiff argued that allowing the governor to contest again could extend his tenure beyond the constitutional limit.

The defendants in the suit included the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Governor Aiyedatiwa, the All Progressives Congress, and Deputy Governor Olayide Adelami.

Justice Adegoke ruled that the case had merit and granted the relief sought by the plaintiff, relying on the precedent established by the Supreme Court in the Marwa v. Nyako decision, which held that a President or Governor cannot remain in office for more than eight years.