Edo 2024: Reasons why PDP guber primary, Ighodalo’s candidacy was nullified

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary poll in Edo State, which produced Asue Ighodalo as the party’s candidate for the state’s September 21 governorship election, has been declared void by the Federal High Court located in Abuja.

Justice Inyang Ekwo handed the ruling on Thursday, declaring the PDP’s primary election invalid.

The Federal High Court in Abuja declared the PDP’s Edo State primary election invalid for the following grounds.

The PDP’s primary election in the state on February 22nd, according to the court, did not comply with the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act of 2022, or the standards for conducting polls.

Justice Ekwo held that evidence that was adduced before the court established that Ighodalo did not emerge through a valid process.

He held that exhibit that was presented by the PDP showed that the returning officers that prepared the result sheets merely sat at a place to manufacture the outcome of the poll.

The court held that the outcome of the said primary poll amounted to a nullity.

The judgement followed a suit that was brought before the court by three aggrieved plaintiffs, on behalf of 378 ad-hoc delegates that ought to have participated in the primary election.

Cited as 1st to 4th defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/165/2024, were the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the PDP, its National Secretary and the Vice Chairman, South South.

Justice Ekwo, who held that he found merit in the case of the plaintiffs, noted that INEC failed to file any process in the matter, saying it would abide by the judgement of the court.