On July 22, 2024, the Court of Appeal in Abuja delivered a decisive ruling affirming Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the duly nominated governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the upcoming Edo State elections.
According to the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment dated August 8, 2024, the appellate court dismissed the appeal filed by former Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, who had contested the Federal High Court’s May 27th decision.
The court, with Justices A.M. Lamido, Tunde Awotoye, and Patricia Mahmoud on the panel, unanimously upheld the lower court’s ruling, finding Shaibu’s case premature and without merit.
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The Court of Appeal agreed with the earlier judgment that Shaibu lacked the standing to challenge the PDP primaries, as he did not participate in them.
The court also confirmed that the delegate congresses adhered to legal and PDP constitutional requirements, validating the delegates listed by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC).
Additionally, the ruling validated the primary election that resulted in Ighodalo’s candidacy and affirmed the authenticity of his Permanent Voter Card (PVC), which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had already verified.
The Federal High Court had previously ruled that Shaibu failed to provide sufficient evidence to dispute the PVC’s legitimacy.
The court imposed a ₦1 million fine on Shaibu, to be paid to each of the four respondents: INEC, the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, and Dr. Asue Ighodalo.
This judgment solidifies Ighodalo’s position as the PDP’s candidate for the Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024, marking a significant victory for both Ighodalo and the PDP by reaffirming the legitimacy of his nomination process and rejecting all challenges.
