Edo Guber Election: PDP Takes Action To Restore Ighodalo After Court Judgment

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is appealing a court ruling that nullified the primary election in which Asue Ighodalo was chosen as the party’s gubernatorial candidate for the 2024 elections in Edo State.

The appeal, filed at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, lists 25 grounds for challenging the Federal High Court’s decision delivered on July 4, 2024.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court had declared the February 22 primary election invalid, citing the PDP’s failure to follow its constitutional provisions and electoral guidelines by excluding 378 elected ward delegates from participating. The court emphasized the importance of adhering to party constitutions and electoral laws to maintain the democratic process and directed the reinstatement of the excluded delegates.

In response, the PDP, represented by Adeyemi Ajibade (SAN), argued that the lower court’s decision lacked foundation and was unsupported by evidence. They maintained that the primary election was conducted according to party regulations and that the excluded delegates did not participate in the ad-hoc ward congress on February 4.

The PDP’s appeal, marked CA/ABJ/CV/2024, names Kelvin Mohammed, Gabriel Okoduwa, Ederaho Osagie, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the National Secretary of the PDP, and the Vice Chairman of PDP South-South as respondents. The party seeks the Court of Appeal’s intervention to overturn the previous ruling, asserting that their conduct during the primaries was lawful and in line with electoral laws and internal guidelines.

The PDP aims to have the judgment set aside and proceed with Asue Ighodalo as their chosen candidate for the upcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State.