JUSTICE Kolawole Omotoso of a Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has dismissed the suit instituted by the former deputy governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu, challenging the primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which produced Dr Asue Ighodalo as the candidate of the party.
Justice Omotoso held that the impeached deputy governor had no locus standi to institute the action, basically as he did not participate in the said election he sought to upturn. The court held that Shaibu has no right under the law to challenge or attack the intra-party poll.
Justice Omotoso further held that there was strong evidence that the erstwhile deputy governor was not physically present at the venue of the primary election which took place on 22nd February 2024
The judge held that Comrade Shaibu conducted and participated in a parallel primary election which he conducted in his private residence. The judge added that Comrade Shaibu failed to explore the internal mechanism of the PDP to air his indignation before resorting to court action.
The judge also held that on these bases, Comrade Shaibu has no legal right to call for the cancellation of the exercise as well as the nullification of the emerged candidate, Asue Ighodalo, since he obviously did not participate in the process.
Comrade Shaibu had filed the action shortly after the election was concluded praying the court to issue an order stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or recognizing Dr Ighodalo as the governorship candidate of the PDP. He also prayed the court to compel the PDP to conduct a fresh primary election immediately. In the suit, he argued that the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the PDP guidelines were grossly violated in the conduct of the said primary election where Dr Ighodalo emerged as the winner by a wide margin.
Eighteen-Eleven Media