The Federal High Court in Abuja has thrown out a lawsuit filed by the impeached Edo Deputy Governor, Phillips Shaibu, seeking to invalidate the February 22 governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, which was won by Asue Ighodalo.
In a recent ruling, Justice James Omotosho held that Shaibu lacked the legal standing to challenge the primary’s outcome because he did not fully participate in it and was absent from the venue on the day of the primary.
Justice Omotosho further ruled that Shaibu’s lawsuit was premature as he did not exhaust the internal dispute resolution mechanism of the party before resorting to litigation.
The Judge emphasized that, as a member of the PDP, Shaibu was obligated to adhere to the party’s rules and regulations, which stipulate that any aggrieved aspirant must first seek redress from the party’s Appeal Committee before pursuing legal action.
Moreover, Justice Omotosho noted that there was substantial evidence indicating Ighodalo’s victory in the primary.