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Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the Peoples Democratic Primary (PDP) election that produced Asue Ighodalo as its governorship candidate.
Justice Ekwo made the declaration while delivering judgment in a suit instituted by aggrieved delegates on Thursday, June 4, 2024.
According to Channels TV, the suit was instituted by one Kelvin Mohammed in a representative capacity.
Ighodalo’s election was nullified on the ground that 381 members of the party who were supposed to participate in the primary election were unlawfully excluded by the PDP.
The judge held that the Electoral Act 2022 and the PDP Guidelines were grossly violated in the conduct of the primary election.
Justice Ekwo added that the plaintiffs through the exhibits tendered were able to establish their case against the defendants.
From the exhibit presented by the PDP, the judge said he found out that the result of the poll was manufactured by returning officers, adding that the exclusion of the 381 delegates was against the provisions of the law.
“I found that the case of the plaintiffs succeeds on merit,” he said.
The plaintiffs are Shaibu's allies
The plaintiffs, who are reportedly loyal to Philip Shaibu, the impeached deputy governor of the state, had earlier averred that it would be in the interest of justice for their reliefs to be granted.
Recall that the Edo State House of Assembly impeached Shaibu in April following his political feud with Governor Godwin Obaseki.
His impeachment followed the adoption of the report of the seven-man investigative panel set up to investigate allegations of misconduct against him.