A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday invalidated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election that produced Asue Ighodalo as the party's candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in his judgment, held that the PDP's primary held on February 22 failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, the guidelines for the conduct of the poll, and the party's constitution.
Justice Ekwo stated that the Exhibit PDP 1 tendered by the party was bereft of evidence, and that the plaintiffs, through the exhibits tendered, successfully established their case against the defendants.
The judge found that the returning officers who prepared the result sheets had simply sat down together to manufacture the outcome of the poll, and that the exclusion of the 381 delegates, including the plaintiffs, was contrary to the provisions of the law.
Justice Ekwo held that although INEC, the first defendant, filed a memorandum of appearance in the suit, it was unfortunate that the commission did not file any further process in the case.
According to the judge, the counsel for the first defendant only stated that they would be bound by the decision of the court.
"I find that the case of the plaintiffs succeeds on merit," he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that three aggrieved ad-hoc delegates, on behalf of the 378 others, had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, its national secretary, and the vice chairman, south-south, as first to fourth defendants respectively.
In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/165/2024 and dated February 7 but filed on February 8, the plaintiffs sought two orders: an order for the defendants or their agents not to act but to show cause why the reliefs of the plaintiffs in their originating summons should not be granted regarding the plan of the second, third, and fourth defendants to exclude them and 378 other delegates, whose names and election results are contained in "Exhibits BID 8A to 8L," from participating in the primaries on February 22 in Edo State.
The plaintiffs, including Hon. Kelvin Mohammed, Mr. Gabriel Okoduwa, and Mr. Ederaho Osagie, on behalf of others in 12 local government areas and 127 wards, averred that it would be in the interest of justice for their reliefs to be granted.
NAN reports that the 381 delegates are those loyal to the legacy PDP and Philip Shaibu, the impeached deputy governor. (Source: NAN)
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