Court bars Aiyedatiwa from seeking another term as Ondo governor
By Julius Alabi. Akure
The Federal High Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has barred Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa from contesting for another term in office, ruling that such a move would violate the constitutional limit on tenure for elected executive officials in Nigeria.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, the Presiding Judge, Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke, held that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) clearly stipulates that no elected President, Vice President, Governor or Deputy Governor can remain in office for more than eight years.
Justice Adegoke explained that the constitutional provision on tenure is explicit and must be strictly adhered to, noting that any attempt by an office holder to extend their stay beyond the stipulated period would amount to a breach of the law.
According to the court, allowing Governor Aiyedatiwa to contest again after completing the ongoing tenure would effectively extend his stay in office beyond the constitutional maximum of eight years.
The judge stressed that the framers of the Constitution intentionally placed the limit to prevent the concentration of power and to promote democratic rotation of leadership.
Governor Aiyedatiwa was first sworn into office on December 27, 2024, following the death of former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, whose tenure he completed as deputy governor.
He was later sworn in again on February 24, 2025, after emerging victorious in the November 16, 2024 governorship election, where he defeated the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Agboola Ajayi.
The suit challenging his eligibility to seek another term was instituted by an All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Akin Egbuwalo, who argued that allowing the governor to contest again would violate constitutional provisions on tenure.
In the suit, Governor Aiyedatiwa, his deputy Olayide Adelami, and the ruling All Progressives Congress were listed as defendants, with the plaintiff urging the court to interpret the constitutional provisions on tenure limits.
The judgment is expected to generate significant political and legal debate in Ondo State and beyond, as it carries far-reaching implications for the political future of the governor and the broader interpretation of tenure limits for elected executive office holders in Nigeria.
