Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Thursday described the recent judgement of a Federal High Court barring him from contesting the 2028 governorship election as an unnecessary distraction, insisting that he had never declared interest in seeking another term in office.
Aiyedatiwa made this known during a live interview on Channels Television while reacting to the court decision, saying public discourse on the matter had been fuelled by misleading narratives circulating on social media.
The governor maintained that he had not at any time indicated an intention to contest another election, stressing that there was currently no timetable for a governorship poll in the state.
He said, “I have never at any time told anybody that I am going to contest an election. It is not yet time for any governorship election in this state. There is no timetable and I have not expressed interest in running again.”
Aiyedatiwa explained that he did not approach the court to seek clarification on his eligibility, noting that the case was instituted by other individuals.
He added that the legal development would not distract him from governance, stressing that his focus remained on delivering on the promises he made to the people of Ondo State.
The governor noted that the mandate he secured in the November 16, 2024 governorship election was still fresh, adding that he had not begun to consider any future electoral contest.
While acknowledging that he was aware of constitutional provisions regarding tenure for deputies who complete the tenure of their principals, he said he had not given any thought to the matter.
Aiyedatiwa also dismissed allegations that he was pushing political opponents out of the All Progressives Congress in the state, saying politics thrives on numbers and that he was instead encouraging more people to join the party.
He equally denied claims of a rift between him and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, insisting that both of them remained members of the same political family.
According to him, political differences should not be interpreted as personal conflicts, noting that diverse interests are common in politics.
The governor also dismissed suggestions that recent deaths recorded during the APC congress in the state were linked to internal party disagreements, explaining that the incident was related to issues within the National Union of Road Transport Workers.
Aiyedatiwa further said he had expanded the number of stakeholders participating in party meetings across the state, increasing the figure from 10 members per local government to 60 in a bid to make the process more inclusive.
On whether he would challenge the court ruling, the governor said he had yet to study the details of the judgement and would consult his legal team before taking any decision.
He added that Nigeria’s judicial system provides room for further interpretation of court decisions through higher courts, including the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
The governor also clarified that the appeal earlier filed by his lawyers related to preliminary objections raised during the proceedings and not the judgement recently delivered by the Federal High Court.
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