Lucky Aiyedatiwa Criticises Court Ruling Restricting Potential 2028 Governorship Bid

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has criticised a Federal High Court ruling that bars him from seeking another term in office in 2028, describing the decision as premature and an unnecessary distraction from governance.

The Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa made the remarks during an appearance on the television programme Politics Today on Channels Television on Thursday, where he insisted that conversations about the 2028 governorship race were taking place far too early. According to him, his immediate priority is delivering the mandate he received from voters in the November 16, 2024 governorship election.

The ruling was delivered earlier the same day by the Federal High Court in Akure, presided over by Justice Toyin Adegoke. The court held that Aiyedatiwa would be ineligible to contest the 2028 election due to constitutional limits on tenure. The judgement followed a suit filed by an All Progressives Congress chieftain seeking interpretation of the relevant constitutional provisions.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa Says Focus Remains on Governance

Speaking during the interview, Governor Aiyedatiwa emphasised that the debate surrounding a possible 2028 contest was unnecessary at this stage. He stated that discussions about the next election cycle should ideally wait until the electoral timetable is announced closer to the period.

According to the Governor Aiyedatiwa, he has only recently secured a fresh mandate from the people of Ondo State and is focused on governance rather than future political contests. He argued that constitutional interpretations regarding his eligibility should only arise when the next electoral process approaches.

Lucky Aiyedatiwa also noted that while he is aware of constitutional provisions limiting a governor’s tenure to eight years, he has not begun examining how those provisions might apply to his situation. Instead, he said his attention remains fixed on delivering development and democratic dividends to residents of the state.

Court Interprets Constitutional Term Limits

The legal challenge was initiated by APC chieftain Akin Egbuwalo, who asked the court to interpret Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution regarding the eligibility of the governor and his deputy, Olayide Adelami, to contest another term.

The defendants in the case included the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Federal Ministry of Justice Nigeria, Aiyedatiwa, Adelami and the All Progressives Congress.

In the judgement, Justice Adegoke ruled that Aiyedatiwa would be ineligible to contest in 2028 because he had already been sworn in on December 27, 2023 to complete the tenure of the late governor, Rotimi Akeredolu. The court also noted that Aiyedatiwa was later inaugurated on February 24, 2025 after winning the November 16, 2024 governorship election.

The judge emphasised that the Constitution does not allow an elected president, vice-president, governor or deputy governor to spend more than eight years in office. The court relied on the precedent established by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the case of Marwa v. Nyako.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa Describes Suit as Political Distraction

Reacting to the development, Aiyedatiwa described the lawsuit and the subsequent ruling as a major distraction from his administration’s work. He said the matter emerged shortly after he had navigated significant political challenges, including surviving an impeachment process.

The Governor Aiyedatiwa maintained that governance must proceed step by step, stressing that future elections were not part of his current plans. He expressed confidence that the legal controversy would eventually be resolved.

Aiyedatiwa also dismissed suggestions that the case was linked to political tensions within the ruling party. According to him, the APC remains dominant in Ondo State, and political competition ultimately revolves around electoral numbers and public support.