Newscenter Media News The conflicting rulings by courts of equal jurisdictions have continued to plaque the Nigerian judiciary, causing confusions and conflict in the political space.
This is as a Federal High Court on Wednesday affirmed Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the legitimate candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election.
The court’s decision is in direct opposition to an earlier ruling that nullified the PDP primary election, citing the unlawful exclusion of 378 delegates.
In the earlier ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo also of the Federal High Court in Abuja voided the PDP governorship primary election in Edo State that produced Ighodalo as its candidate.
The court voided the primary election conducted on February 22, 2024 on the ground that 378 delegates who were supposed to vote at the primary election were unlawfully excluded by PDP.
But Justice James Omotosho’s judgment on Wednesday stated that Ighodalo was properly nominated at the same February 22 PDP primaries in Benin City, dismissing the lawsuit challenging his candidacy.
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The PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, welcomed the Wednesday judgment as a victory for democracy, rule of law, and internal democracy.
The party noted that the ruling validates the credibility of the primary election and affirms Ighodalo as the preferred candidate of the majority of Edo State residents.
The statement read in part, “The Party describes the landmark judgement which upheld the PDP Edo State Governorship Primary election held on February 22, 2024, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City as a victory for democracy, rule of law and a well-founded affirmation of the propriety and credibility of the primary election and PDP’s internal democracy.
“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 level playing ground in the conduct of the Edo State PDP Congresses and Governorship Primary election that produced Dr. Asue Ighodalo as a 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 governorship election.”
The PDP congratulated Ighodalo and urged party members to unite and work together to ensure victory in the upcoming governorship election.
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