Edo PDP faces setback as Court voids primary election

A Federal High Court in Abuja has declared as invalid the Peoples Democratic Party’s primary election that produced Asue Ighodalo as its governorship candidate.

The primary election conducted on February 22, 2024, was voided on the ground that 378 delegates who were supposed to vote at the primary election were unlawfully excluded by PDP.

Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo invalidated the primary election while delivering judgment in a suit instituted by the aggrieved delegates.

The suit marked THC/ABJ/CS/165/2024 was instituted by one Hon Kelvin Mohammed in a representative capacity.

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Justice Ekwo held that both the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the PDP Guidelines were grossly violated in the conduct of the primary election at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin.

Foremost lawyer and investment banker, Asue Ighodalo emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He defeated other aspirants in a peaceful but security-tight primary election at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

Ighodalo, who is believed to be Governor Obaseki’s preferred aspirant scored 577 votes to beat Bar Anselm Ojezua , Arthur Esele, Osaro Onaiwu, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru and Felix Akhabue all scoring zero, while six votes were voided out of the 585 accredited delegates.