Thursday, July 4, 2024 -Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja has ruled that the Edo state Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship primary election held on February 22, 2024, which produced Asue Ighodalo as its governorship candidate is invalid.
The court gave the ruling while
delivering judgment in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/165/2024, brought by aggrieved
delegates, notably Kelvin Mohammed, in a representative capacity today July 4.
The judge voided the primaries on the
grounds that 378 delegates, who were supposed to vote, were unlawfully excluded
by the PDP, contrary to the provisions of the law. The court also held that
there were acts of gross violations of the Electoral Act 2022, PDP guidelines
and the party’s constitution during the conduct of the primary election held at
Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.
According to the judge, the evidence
presented by the PDP (Exhibit 1) was insufficient and lacked proof, indicating
that the returning officers manipulated the result sheets.
Justice Ekwo emphasised that the
plaintiffs successfully established their case against the defendants through
the exhibits tendered.
Regarding the Independent National
Electoral Commission, the first defendant in the suit, the judge noted that
while INEC filed a memorandum of appearance, it did not submit any further
processes in the case. He stated that INEC’s counsel declared they would abide
by the court’s decision and upheld the plaintiffs’ arguments.
“I find that the plaintiffs’ case
succeeds on its merits,” Justice Ekworuled
378 ad-hoc delegates, loyal to the
impeached Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, had dragged INEC, PDP, its
National Secretary, and the Vice Chairman South-South before the court over the
outcome of the primary.
n the suit dated February 7 but filed
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 about the plan of the 2nd, 3rd and
4th 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 of Feb. 22 in Edo.”
The plaintiffs, which include 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.
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