From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has upheld the nomination of Dr Asue Ighodalo as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election.
Justice James Omotosho in his judgment dismissed suit marked CS/469/24, filed by Philip Shaibu and three others, who had challenged Ighodalo’s nomination as the PDP’s candidate.
The court held that Ighodalo was duly nominated during the party’s primary election, which was held on February 22, 2024, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City. Ighodalo emerged victorious, securing 577 votes to defeat Shaibu and 10 other aspirants.
Justice Omotosho further determined that the plaintiffs’ case lacked merit, as they failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove that Ighodalo had forged his voter’s card. Moreover, the court ruled that the action was statute-barred and consequently struck it out
Shuaibu and his co- plaintiffs had approached the court to challenge the validity of Ighodalo’s candidacy on grounds of alleged forgery of his voter’s card.
But, in his judgment, Omotosho stated that the allegation of forgery was not proved by the appellants and subsequently dismissed it.
Besides the court held that the case of the plaintiffs was statute barred, having not filed within the 14 days prescribed by law.
According to the judge, Section 285(9) of the Constitution stipulated that an aggrieved person or persons challenging the outcome of a primary election must do so within 14 days of the conduct of the primary.
Justice Omotosho dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.