Appeal Court, Abuja
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal filed by Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, challenging a Federal High Court ruling in Akure regarding his eligibility to contest the next governorship election.
In a unanimous judgment on Monday, a three-member panel led by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam held that the trial court properly exercised its discretion when it allowed the plaintiff, Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, to amend his originating summons. The court found that Aiyedatiwa failed to demonstrate that the amendment caused any miscarriage of justice or denied him a fair hearing.
The appellate court consequently dismissed the appeal for lacking merit and awarded N2 million in costs against the governor.
This ruling upheld the November 24, 2025 Federal High Court decision in Akure, which granted Egbuwalo leave to amend his suit questioning Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility for re-election.
Earlier, the Court of Appeal had also rejected an application by Aiyedatiwa seeking to set aside an order made on January 27, 2026, which stayed further proceedings in the suit. The court clarified that the stay was lawful and intended to preserve the integrity of the appellate process, not to halt the trial court’s judgment.
The panel emphasized that the proper recourse for the governor would be to challenge the matter before the Supreme Court, rather than asking the Court of Appeal to revisit its own valid order. Another N2 million in costs was awarded against Aiyedatiwa in relation to this application.
About The Author
