The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the Court of Appeal judgement reaffirming Asue Ighodalo as the candidate of the PDP in the September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election, has quashed a ploy to frustrate the people’s aspiration and hinder the party’s victory.
The party national spokesman, Hon Debo Ologungaba, said the award of cost by the Appeal Court against the Appellants in favour of Dr. Asue Ighodalo and other respondents is an emphatic judicial rebuke against frivolous and vexatious court proceedings aimed at frustrating the outcome of a legally conducted democratic exercise of a political party.
The PDP described the judgment as “another landmark ruling which further strengthens democratic practice, validates the credibility of PDP nomination process and reinforces the Will and aspiration of the people of Edo State as embodied in the candidature of Dr. Asue Ighodalo.”
Ologungaba, in a statement, said the earlier verdict of a High Court and reaffirmation by the Appeal Court upholding Ighodalo’s candidacy, stop a ploy “designed to distract the PDP and frustrate the aspiration of the people of Edo State.”
The PDP restated its call on the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Monday Okpebholo to step down from the race and face the issues of alleged forgery of voter’s card and birth documents.
Recall that the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Monday upheld the nomination of Ighodalo as the governorship candidate of the PDP in Edo State.
In a unanimous judgement delivered by Justice, A. M Lamido, in the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/642/2024, the court dismissed an appeal brought by former Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu challenging the May 27th judgement of Justice James Omotosho of Federal High Court, Abuja.
Justice Omotosho had affirmed the nomination of Dr. Ighodalo as the rightful and duly nominated candidate of the PDP in Edo State.
In its ruling, the Appeal Court held that the trial court was right and unassailable in its ruling that the Appellant (Shaibu) did not satisfy the condition precedent before instituting the action, therefore the suit was premature.
The court also affirmed the trial court’s decision that the Appellant failed to prove his allegations of votes allocation against the Respondent, stating that that the conduct of an election as well as results are presumed regular until the contrary is proved and there was no evidence from the affidavit of the Appellant to show votes were allocated to the 4th Respondent.
Consequently, the court dismissed Shaibu’s case and awarded N1, 000,000 (One Million Naira) as cost against him and in favour of the respective respondents.
LEADERSHIP recalls that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had penultimate week also affirmed Ighodalo as the governorship candidate of the PDP.