A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has cancelled the primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State that produced Asue Ighodalo as the party’s candidate in the forthcoming governorship election, News About Nigeria reports.
Delivering judgement on Thursday, Justice Inyang Ekwo, held that the PDP’s primary held on February 22, 2024 failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; the guidelines for the conduct of the poll and the party’s constitution.
The judge also stated that the exhibit ‘Exhibit PDP 1’ that was tendered by the party was bereft of evidence, adding that the plaintiffs, through the exhibits tendered, were able to establish their case against the defendants.
He also held that from the exhibit presented by the PDP, he found that the returning officers who prepared the result sheets only sat down in a place to manufacture the outcome of the poll.
He further noted that the exclusion of the 381 delegates, including the plaintiffs, was against the provisions of the law.
Justice Ekwo held that though INEC, the 1st defendant, filed a memorandum of appearance in the suit, it was unfortunate that the commission did not file any process in the case.
“I found that the case of the plaintiffs succeeds on merit,” he held.
Recall that three aggrieved ad-hoc delegates had in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/165/2024 dated February 72024 on behalf of the 378 others sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, its national secretary and the vice chairman, south south as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.
