Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has dismissed two separate lawsuits challenging the outcome of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election that led to the selection of Asue Ighodalo as the gubernatorial candidate for the upcoming Edo State election.
The court ruled that the plaintiffs, who were aligned with the political faction of former Deputy Governor Philip Shuaibu, lacked the legal standing to bring the suits.
In delivering the judgments on Tuesday, Justice Ekwo emphasized that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate a sufficient, direct, and tangible personal interest that would justify nullifying the primary election.
The first suit, labeled FHC/ABJ/CS/195/2024, was initiated by Adizetu Umoru, while the second suit, designated as FHC/ABJ/CS/196/2024, was filed by Moses Alabi and Christopher Oboarer.
These plaintiffs sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Umar Damagu (acting national chairman), Setonji Koshoedo, PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), and its National Executive Committee (NEC) as the first to sixth defendants respectively.
In their motions filed on February 19, the three plaintiffs sought an interim court order restraining the defendants from using the list of ward congresses held on February 4 to conduct the PDP primary in Edo State, scheduled for February 22 or any other date until the main suit was heard and decided.