The Sunshine Centre for Justice and Development has faulted claims that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2024 Ondo State election, Agboola Ajayi, withdrew his petition at the Supreme Court out of patriotism.
In a statement issued by its Coordinator, Prince Emmanuel Sehindemi, the group argued that Ajayi only withdrew his case because he knew it lacked merit, adding that patriotism could not have been his motivation since he pursued the case from the tribunal up to the apex court.
According to the group, Ajayi’s sudden withdrawal, announced barely 24 hours before the Supreme Court was scheduled to deliver judgment, shocked political and legal observers.
“The decision, though dressed in the robes of patriotism, has sent shockwaves across political and legal circles, because from Tribunal to the Supreme Court he challenged the outcome of the election,” the statement read.
The group recalled that the November 2024 governorship election produced a clear and overwhelming victory for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, which independent observers described as credible.
Despite this, Ajayi contested the results, first approaching the Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which dismissed his petition for lack of merit.
Unsatisfied, Ajayi proceeded to the Court of Appeal, which in May 2025 upheld the tribunal’s ruling. He then escalated the case to the Supreme Court, which fixed September 17, 2025, for judgment. But on September 16, he filed a notice of withdrawal, drawing mixed reactions.
While some hailed the decision as an act of statesmanship, the Sunshine Centre maintained that such praise was misplaced. It criticized those in government who quickly commended Ajayi’s withdrawal as patriotism, insisting it was simply the inevitable outcome of a weak case.
“With the withdrawal and eventual dismissal of the appeal by the Supreme Court, the 2024 Ondo governorship election litigation chapter has been conclusively closed. Governor Aiyedatiwa can now fully focus on governance without the distraction of legal fireworks,” the group stated.
It urged Ondo citizens, particularly public officials, to resist romanticising Ajayi’s decision and instead expose the actions of politicians who attempt to hold the democratic process hostage.
“In the final analysis, Ajayi’s withdrawal should not be mistaken for patriotism. It was a forced and inevitable consequence of challenging a free, fair, and credible exercise,” the group concluded.
