Court Nullifies PDP Primary Election

A Federal High Court in Abuja has declared the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) primary election, which resulted in Asue Ighodalo becoming the candidate for the upcoming Edo State governorship election, as invalid.

Naija News reports that the primary, held on February 22, 2024, was voided because 378 delegates who were supposed to vote were unlawfully excluded by the PDP.

Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo delivered the judgment, invalidating the primary election based on a suit filed by the aggrieved delegates.

The suit, marked THC/ABJ/CS/165/2024, was filed by Hon. Kelvin Mohammed on behalf of the excluded delegates.

Naija News recalls that on February 22, Ighodalo, who is both a lawyer and an investment banker, clinched the position of the PDP governorship candidate after defeating his competitors in a primary election held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

It is widely believed that Governor Obaseki favoured Ighodalo, who received 577 votes to outdo his opponents, including Barrister Anselm Ojezua, Arthur Esele, Osaro Onaiwu, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru, and Felix Akhabue, who all received zero votes. Additionally, six votes were nullified out of the 585 delegates who were accredited.

He was officially recognized as the victor by the Chief Returning Officer of the Edo PDP Gubernatorial Primaries and Zamfara State’s governor, Alhaji Dauda Lawal.

However, Justice Ekwo ruled that the conduct of the primary at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin grossly violated both the Electoral Act 2022 and the PDP Guidelines.

Details to follow…