Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has dismissed two separate lawsuits challenging the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) primary election that selected Asue Ighodalo as the gubernatorial candidate for the upcoming Edo State elections.
The court ruled that the plaintiffs, who came from the political faction of former Deputy Governor Philip Shuaibu, lacked the legal standing to file the suits.
In delivering judgments on Tuesday, Justice Ekwo emphasized that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate sufficient, direct, and tangible personal interest that could warrant the nullification of the primary election.
The first suit, identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/195/2024, was filed by Adizetu Umoru, while the second suit, marked as FHC/ABJ/CS/196/2024, was filed by Moses Alabi and Christopher Oboarer.
These plaintiffs had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Umar Damagu (acting national chairman), Setonji Koshoedo, PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), and its National Executive Committee (NEC) as the 1st to 6th defendants, respectively.
The three plaintiffs, in separate motions filed on February 19, sought an interim court order to restrain the defendants from using the list of ward congresses held on February 4 for the PDP’s primary in Edo State, scheduled for February 22 or any other date, pending the hearing and determination of the main suit.
However, Justice Ekwo ruled that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate how their individual interests were affected or compromised by the primary election. Specifically, the judge noted that the plaintiffs did not establish whether they were eligible to participate in the election but were prevented from doing so, or if any irregularities occurred during the election.
