2024 Edo Guber: Court Invalidates Asue Ighodalo’s Candidacy

Ahead of the gubernatorial election scheduled to hold in Edo state on September 21,  2024,  a development that was recorded in Abuja on Thursday must have definitely unsettled leaders and members of the ruling party in the state, the PDP.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja  declared Asue Ighodalo’s candidacy invalid on Thursday.

Asue Ighodalo , who is the Edo state PDP guber candidate, had won the primary election that was held on February 22, 2024.

Team@orientactualmags.com  learned that Justice Ekwo made this declaration while delivering judgment in the lawsuit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/165/2024, which was instituted by aggrieved party delegates including Kelvin Mohammed.

The judge voided the outcome of the primary election in question on the grounds that 378 delegates, who were supposed to participate and vote, were unlawfully excluded by the PDP, contrary to the provisions of the law.

The court  declared that the conduct of the primary election held at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benincity violated the Electoral Act 2022, PDP guidelines, and the party’s constitution .

The judge also noted that the evidence presented by the PDP (Exhibit 1) was insufficient and lacked proof which had implied that the returning officers manipulated the result sheets.

Justice Ekwo submitted that the plaintiffs successfully established their case against the defendants through the exhibits tendered.

The first defendant in the suit,  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the judge noted,  had though  filed a memorandum of appearance, it did not however submit any further processes in the case.

 ‘I find that the plaintiffs’ case succeeds on its merits’ Justice Ekwo  said.

Recall that the 378 ad-hoc delegates, loyal to the impeached  Deputy Governor , Mr Philip Shaibu,  had sued INEC, PDP, its National Secretary, and the Vice Chairman South-South as the first to fourth defendants.

In the suit dated February 7  which was filed on February 8, the plaintiffs  had sought  for 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,  had done this on behalf of others in the 12 local governments and 127 wards in the state and they had submitted that it would be in the interest of justice for their reliefs to be granted-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you