Court affirms Ighodalo as Edo PDP guber candidate

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday upheld the nomination of Dr Asue Ighodalo as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election.

The court’s decision, delivered by Justice James Omotosho dismissed the case filed by the now reinstated deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, who had challenged Ighodalo’s nomination as the PDP’s candidate.

In its ruling, the court held that Ighodalo was duly nominated during the party’s primary election, which was held on February 22, in Benin City, where he got 577 votes to defeat Shaibu and 10 other aspirants.

The court further determined that the suit lacked merit, saying it failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove that Ighodalo had forged his voter’s card.

Factional PDP in Edo State

Shaibu was declared the winner of a factional governorship primary election that was purportedly conducted at his residence in Benin City, the state capital, on February 22.

Asue Ighodalo was declared the winner of another PDP primary exercise that was conducted at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.

The flagbearer acknowledged by the PDP national leadership is Ighodalo, though Shaibu consistently criticised the primary that resulted in Ighodalo, positing that it was organised by the state party executive rather than the national executive of the party.

He insisted that he is the genuine candidate of the PDP and cautioned that the party’s failure to recognise him as its candidate in the state governorship election would result in the party’s demise in the state.

Phillip Shuaibu’s reinstatement

Philip Shuaibu was reinstated as the Deputy Governor of Edo State after the ruling by Justice Omotosho earlier on Wednesday.

The judge held that the allegation on which the House of Assembly based the impeachment proceedings was untenable in law and did not constitute gross misconduct.

According to Justice Omotosho, the impeachment was done in gross violation of the Constitution.

The court ordered that the salaries and allowances of Philip Shuaibu be paid from April, when he was impeached.

Shaibu had maintained that the action was a detriment to democracy.

Writing by Omololola Ameen