‘Govern With Conscience’ – Ighodalo To Okpebholo After S/Court Verdict

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the September 2024 Edo State governorship election, Asue Ighodalo, has faulted the Supreme Court judgment which upheld the election of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the duly elected governor of Edo State.

Ighodalo described the ruling as a validation of what he called a “coordinated robbery.”

The apex court on Thursday dismissed Ighodalo’s appeal, affirming Okpebholo’s victory in the contentious poll. The ruling ended the legal challenge mounted by Ighodalo and the PDP, who had consistently maintained that the election was marred by irregularities and electoral malpractice.

In a statement issued shortly after the judgment, Ighodalo said while he respects the Supreme Court’s decision, the ruling does not reflect justice.

“Today, the Supreme Court has ruled. Though I accept the finality of its judgment, I do not and cannot pretend that what was delivered amounts to justice,” Ighodalo declared.

He described the September 2024 election as a sham, alleging that the process lacked credibility and integrity.

“What happened in the September 2024 governorship election was not a contest. It was a robbery. Coordinated. Deliberate. And now, tragically validated by the highest court in the land,” he said.

Ighodalo reaffirmed his commitment to democratic values, while stating that he would not obstruct any judicial pronouncement, however flawed he might believe it to be. He pledged to continue speaking out against perceived injustice and institutional failure.

“While I will not and cannot obstruct any judicial pronouncement, no matter how flawed, I must never fear to speak truth to power.

“Like you, I feel a deep sense of betrayal. Not just by those who rigged the process, but by the very institutions we trusted to protect our democracy,” he said.

Ighodalo also appreciated his supporters, whom he thanked for their courage and belief in his vision. He lamented what he described as the silencing of voters’ voices and the trampling of their mandate, but vowed that the movement for a better Edo State would endure.

“You came out in hope. You voted for competence, for progress, for prosperity. And now, we are told that your voice does not matter. That your freely given mandate can be trampled without consequence. I feel your pain. I share your anger. And I will never forget your courage,” he said.

Speaking about future, Ighodalo expressed concern about the implications of what he called an “illegitimate” leadership on governance in the state, and predicted that the lack of legitimacy would reflect in the quality of public service and policymaking.

“The weight of this illegitimacy will, unfortunately, echo beyond the halls of the Supreme Court. I fear Edo will feel it in the absence of leadership, in the poverty of policy, and in the daily suffering of her people,” he warned.

He however encouraged his supporters not to lose faith in the long journey toward democratic renewal and accountable governance in Edo State.

“We are neither fearful nor broken people. We may be wounded. But all wounds heal. So let this be our vow. We will not retreat. We will not be silenced. And we will never forget,” he said.

Addressing the new administration led by Okpebholo, Ighodalo said, “To those who now hold power undeserved, lead with humility. Govern with conscience. History sees what the courts may not. And one day, it will deliver its own verdict.”

‘Govern With Conscience’ – Ighodalo To Okpebholo After S/Court Verdict is first published on The Whistler Newspaper