- Upholds Asue Ighodalo’s Candidacy
By Ken Afor
The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the impeached Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, seeking to void the February 22 governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
The New Diplomat reports that Dr Asue Ighodalo, a former Chairman of Sterling Bank Plc was declared winner of the governorship primary held in Benin City, the state capital.
According to Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, the returning officer of the election, Ighodalo secured 577 votes to defeat other aspirants in the race.
However, Justice James Omotosho, in his judgment, held that Shaibu lacked the legal standing to challenge the outcome of the primary.
The judge emphasized that Shaibu did not fully participate in the primary and was not present at the venue on the day it took place.
The judge further ruled that Shaibu’s application was deemed premature because he failed to exhaust the internal dispute resolution mechanism within the party before approaching the court.
Justice Omotosho emphasized that as a PDP member, Shaibu was obligated to follow the party’s rules and regulations, which require an aggrieved aspirant to first seek redress through the party’s Appeal Committee before resorting to litigation.
The judge also noted that there was sufficient evidence indicating Ighodalo’s victory in the primary.
