The Court of Appeal has upheld the judgement of the Edo State election petition tribunal affirming Godwin Obaseki as winner of the governorship election of December 2016.

Obaseki, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) — a decision that was challenged by Osagie Ize-Iyanmu, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Ize-Iyanmu and the PDP alleged that the poll was characterised by gross irregularities, claiming that results from PDP-strong areas were controversially cancelled on false claims of violence in the areas.

He asked the tribunal to declare him winner of the election and issue him a certificate of return.

But in April this year, Ahmed Badamosi, chairman of the tribunal, struck out his application, saying it lacked merit.

Dissatisfied with the tribunal’s verdict, Ize-Iyanmu took his case to the court of appeal.

But on Friday, the appeal court upheld the decision of the tribunal, ruling that Obaseki was the winner of the election and was rightly returned elected.

Only the Supreme Court hurdle now separate Obaseki from a permanent grip on the state house.