The Edo State People’s Democratic Party Campaign Organisation has stated that the Federal High Court ruling regarding the party’s delegate election does not invalidate the primary election results that produced Asue Ighodalo as the party’s gubernatorial candidate and Osarodion Ogie as his running mate.
In response to a ruling by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, the PDP described the judgment as “a strange development and contrary to a long line of Appellate Courts’ decision on the subject.”
In the statement, the campaign organisation said, “Today, July 4, 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Hon. Justice Ekwo entered a judgment in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/165 of 2024 (HON. KELVIN MOHAMMED & 2 ORS VS INEC & 3 ORS), which was filed by some disgruntled persons who claimed that they were authentic delegates wrongly excluded from participating in the choice of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo State.
“In a strange development and contrary to a long line of Appellate Courts’ decisions on the subject, the Hon. Justice held that the issue of ward congresses and choice of the delegates is a justiciable matter which the court is entitled to look into.”
The campaign organisation further clarified 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.
“We are confident that this new decision will not survive the test of appeal and all necessary steps in that regard are already being actively pursued.”
While they plan to appeal the latest ruling, the PDP campaign emphasized that it doesn’t affect the outcome of their primaries.
“Furthermore, it must be noted that the claim in question and the resulting judgment did not in any way invalidate or challenge the outcome of the PARTY PRIMARIES that produced the PDP candidate for the forthcoming elections.
“The net result is that contrary to the misinformation spread by mischief makers, the PDP primaries held on February 22, 2024, were not set aside, and no order was given affecting their outcome,” the statement stated.
The PDP urged its members and Edo residents to stay calm and dismiss “mischief makers” who claim otherwise.
They say the full court judgement will soon be available to the public, and it will clarify that the primaries stand.
“Members and supporters of the PDP, as well as the good people of Edo State, are urged to remain calm and ignore the antics of mischief makers, as the falsity of their assertions will be made clear in due course, upon the release of the actual judgment for public consumption,” the party said.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday nullified the February 22 governorship primary that produced Ighodalo as the PDP candidate.
The primary was nullified because 378 delegates who were supposed to vote were unlawfully excluded by the PDP.