Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the September 21 Governorship election in Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, has hailed Thursday’s judgement of the Federal High Court, nullifying the primaries that produced the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Asue Ighodalo.
The Court, in its judgement, in Abuja, declared as invalid the primary election that produced Ighodalo as the PDP Governorship candidate.
The primary election conducted on February 22, 2024, was voided on the ground that 378 delegates who were supposed to vote at the primary election were unlawfully excluded by the party.
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo invalidated the primary election while delivering judgement in a suit instituted by the aggrieved delegates.
He held that both the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the PDP guidelines were grossly violated in the conduct of the primary election held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the APC candidate, Senator Okpebholo said the
court’s judgement is a clear indication that the APC is the party to beat in the upcoming governorship polls, assuring that the people will always come first.
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Okpebholo called on Ighodalo, to take the path of honour and withdraw from the race, having been misled by Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Meanwhile, the Edo State PDP Chairman, Anthony Aziegbemi, has insisted that Asue Ighodalo remains the party’s candidate in the September 21 Governorship election.
This was conveyed in a statement he signed and released in reaction to the nullification of the party’s Governorship primary by Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Chairman attributed the news to certain elements who are scared of the soaring popularity of Ighodalo. He puts it on record that the candidacy of the PDP flag bearer remains intact and urged party faithful to remain calm and resolute as there is no cause for alarm.
And the Edo State PDP Governorship Campaign Organisation has said the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja on the party’s delegate election did not invalidate the outcome of the party’s primary election which produced the flag bearer, Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie.
Reacting to the judgement, the Governorship Campaign Organisation described the judgement as a strange development and contrary to a long line of Appellate Courts’ decision on the subject.
The Campaign Organisation continued that it must be noted that the Edo State PDP and the specific court involved in this matter have a history on exactly this same point in which the Appellate Court had cause to set aside similar decisions of that same court and to restate the law that ward congresses and the choice of delegates are purely internal affairs of political parties outside the jurisdiction of any court.
They expressed confidence that this new decision will not survive the test of appeal and all necessary steps in that regard are already being actively pursued.
The Organisation also noted that the claim in question and the judgement which arose therefrom did not in any shape or form invalidate or even challenge the outcome of the party primaries which produced the candidate of the PDP for the forthcoming elections.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
