Two separate lawsuits contesting the validity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election that selected Asue Ighodalo as the gubernatorial candidate for the upcoming Edo State elections have been struck out by Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The court ruled that the individuals behind the suits, affiliated with the political faction of former Deputy Governor Philip Shuaibu, did not have the legal standing to challenge the election.
In delivering the judgments on Tuesday, Justice Ekwo emphasized that the plaintiffs did not demonstrate a direct and concrete personal stake that would warrant the nullification of the primary election.
The first suit, identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/195/2024, was brought by Adizetu Umoru, while the second suit, labeled as FHC/ABJ/CS/196/2024, was filed by Moses Alabi and Christopher Oboarer.
These individuals sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Umar Damagu (acting national chairman), Setonji Koshoedo, the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), and the National Executive Committee (NEC), as the 1st to 6th defendants.
The three plaintiffs filed separate motions on February 19, seeking a temporary court order to halt the use of the list of ward congresses conducted on February 4 for the PDP’s Edo State primary scheduled for February 22, or any subsequent date, pending the resolution of the main lawsuit.
Justice Ekwo, however, noted that the plaintiffs failed to establish how their personal interests were impacted or threatened by the primary election.
Specifically, the judge highlighted that the plaintiffs did not clarify their eligibility to participate in the election, nor did they provide evidence of misconduct during the election.
More information to follow.