News Investigators/ A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, nillified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election that produced Asue Ighodalo as party’s candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo.
The Court presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, ruled that the PDP’s primary held on Feb. 22 failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; the guidelines for the conduct of the poll amd the party’s constitution.
Justice Ekwo, who said that the Exhibit PDP 1 tendered by the party was bereft of evidence, held that the plaintiffs, through the exhibits tendered, were able to establish their case against the defendants.
In a swift reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the Court judgment on its primaries does not affect the candidature Mr. Ighodalo in the coming governorship election in the state.
The party, in a statement by Edo PDP Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, said in Benin on Thursday that Dr Ighodalo remained the PDP governorship candidate in Edo.
Mr. Aziegbemi, said that Mr. Ighodalo’s candidature for the 2024 election remained intact.
“The PDP is aware that certain elements who are scared of the soaring popularity of our candidate are going about peddling rumours that Ighodalo candidature has been nullified.
“Let it be on record that Ighodalo is the PDP flagbearer for the 2024 governorship election in Edo,” he said.
It would be recalled that the Federal High court sitting in Abuja on Thursday, voided the PDP primary election conducted on Feb. 22.
The judgment was voided on grounds that the 378 delegates who were supposed to vote at the primaries were unlawfully excluded by the PDP.