A federal high court in Abuja has invalidated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election that produced Asue Ighodalo as the candidate for the forthcoming gubernatorial poll in Edo.
In the ruling delivered on Thursday, Inyang Ekwo, presiding judge, held that the PDP primary held on February 22 failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the party’s constitution.
Ekwo held that from the exhibit tendered in court, the returning officers who prepared the result sheets only sat in one place to falsify the outcome of the poll.
He said the exclusion of the 381 delegates, including the plaintiffs, was against the provisions of the law.
The judge further held that even though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) filed a memorandum of appearance in the suit, it was unfortunate that the commission did not file any process in the case.
Rather, the electoral umpire had said they would abide by whatever the ruling of the court is.
“I found that the case of the plaintiffs succeeds on merit,” he said.
Three aggrieved ad hoc delegates had filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/165/2024 on behalf of the 378 other delegates.
The plaintiffs are Kelvin Mohammed, Gabriel Okoduwa and Ederaho Osagie, on behalf of the 378 others in 12 LGAs and 127 wards.
INEC, the PDP, its national secretary and the vice chairman of the south-south, were joined as 1st to 4th defendants in the suit.
The 381 delegates are those loyal to Philip Shaibu, the impeached deputy governor of the state.
BACKGROUND
On February 4, the PDP conducted a congress to select delegates who would participate in the party’s February 22 governorship primary.
Before the congress, Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, who was appointed as the chairman of the election committee, rejected the appointment.
Makinde said the list of electoral officers for the election contained names from Delta state and those of officials of the Edo state government.
Nine of the 11 PDP governorship aspirants, including Shaibu, former deputy governor of the state, boycotted the exercise.
The aspirants rejected the composition of the committee for the delegates’ election.
Tony Aziegbemi, chairman of the PDP in Edo, asked aggrieved governorship hopefuls to approach the appeal panel.
Ighodalo, a businessman, won the governorship primary conducted on February 22.
Ighodalo was the preferred candidate of Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo.
Shaibu has since been expelled by the Edo state chapter of the PDP.
The Edo governorship election has been slated for September 21, 2024.