The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, dismissed a suit seeking the disqualification of Asue Igbodalo as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
Justice James Omotosho declared that the suit, filed by the impeached Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, lacked merit.
Shaibu and others had in the suit asked the court to disqualify Ighodalo over an allegation that he forged his voter card.
But in his judgment on Wednesday, Justice Omotosho declared that the suit was statute-barred.
He noted that the suit, being a pre-election case, was filed outside the 14 days allowed under Section 285(9) of the Constitution.
The judge also held that though forgery or non-possession of a voter card was grounds for disqualification under Section 182 of the Constitution, the plaintiff failed to prove their allegation that Ighodalo forged his voter card.
The Wednesday’s verdict comes about two weeks after Justice Inyang Ekwo of the same Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the February 22 PDP governorship election in Edo State that produced Ighodalo as the party’s flag-bearer for the September 21 governorship poll.
The judge ruled that the primary stood nullified because of the illegal exclusion of 378 delegates who should have participated in the indirect primary held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.
But the PDP has since appealed the judgment and expressed optimism that Ighodalo would not only participate in the poll but would also coast home to victory.
Hailing the Wednesday’s judgment, the PDP national leadership described it as “a victory for democracy, the rule of law and a well-founded affirmation of the propriety and credibility of the primary election and PDP’s internal democracy.”
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said,”The spontaneous jubilation across Edo State at the news of the judgement reaffirms the PDP’s candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the undisputed preference of the majority of the people of Edo State in the coming governorship election.
“The party notes that the judgement further validates the fact that all the aspirants at the governorship primary election were accorded a level playing ground in the conduct of the Edo State PDP congresses and governorship primary election that produced Dr. Asue Ighodalo as candidate.
“The PDP congratulates Dr. Asue Ighodalo and urges all party members to remain united and continue to work together with the majority of the people of Edo State to ensure the victory of our party and candidate in the September 21, 2024 gpvernorship election.”
Meanwhile, a member of the integrity group within the opposition All Progressive Congress, Emmanuel Odigie, said, on Wednesday, that substantial members of the party had pledged to vote for Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie on account of their competence and preparedness to deliver good governance.
Odigie insisted that dropping the name of President Bola Tinubu, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike would not help the APC in the Edo poll.
Odigie, who has since been suspended by the APC for alleged anti-party activities, threw his weight behind the PDP candidate during an appearance on Arise TV on Wednesday.
He said, “From Ighodalo’s antecedent, his manifesto, ‘The Pathway to Prosperity for All’, and if you go through the document you will see that Ighodalo has a clear vision for Edo people. He understands the terrain, he has been playing an advisory role from the days of Adams Oshiomhole to date.
“He is a very experienced man who grew his law firm to one of the biggest in Africa with over 100 employees. He was raised by a father who was a chartered accountant, a mother who became the first female Permanent Secretary in Nigeria, and he is a happily married man with integrity.
“Even his deputy, Osarodion Ogie, a lawyer and renowned administrator, has been in government for years and understands the nitty-gritty of governance. His admirers call him, “Water has no enemy” and he has more friends in the APC than even in the PDP. I have not come across one leader in the APC who has not sworn to me in private that Asue and Ogie have their votes due to their competence.
“You can see how well they were received when they both came out in a rally after the phoney judgment nullifying the PDP primary. This shows clearly that the fear of Asue and Ogie is the beginning of wisdom.”