From Ndubuisi Orji and Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hailed the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which affirmed the nomination of Asue Ighodalo as its candidate in the September 21 Edo State governorship election.
The Abuja division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, upheld the nomination of Ighodalo
James Omotosho, in his judgment, dismissed a suit, marked CS/469/24, filed by Philip Shaibu, who had challenged Ighodalo’s nomination as the PDP’s candidate.
The court held that Ighodalo was duly nominated during the party’s primary, which was held on February 22, 2024, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin. Ighodalo emerged victorious, securing 577 votes to defeat Shaibu and 10 other aspirants.
Omotosho further determined that the plaintiffs’ case lacked merit, as they failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove that Ighodalo had forged his voter’s card. Moreover, the court ruled that the action was statute-barred and consequently struck it out.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the judgment was an affirmation that all aspirants in its governorship primary were given a level playing field.
Nevertheless, the opposition party stated that the “landmark judgment which upheld the PDP Edo State governorship primary held on February 22, 2024 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin as victory for democracy, rule of law and a well-founded affirmation of the propriety and credibility of the election and PDP’s internal democracy.
“The spontaneous jubilation across Edo State at the news of the judgment reaffirms the PDP’s candidate, Ighodalo, as the undisputed preference of the majority of the people in the coming governorship election.
“The party notes that the judgment further validates the fact that all the aspirants at the governorship primary were accorded level playing field in the governorship primary that produced Ighodalo as candidate.”
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