The Federal High Court in Abuja has upheld Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the legitimate gubernatorial candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State.
Justice James Omotosho delivered the verdict, dismissing a suit marked CS/469/24, filed by Philip Shaibu, Ighodalo’s political rival, who had challenged the outcome of the PDP primary election held on February 22, 2024.
Ighodalo emerged victorious, securing 577 votes to defeat Shaibu and 10 other aspirants.
According to the court, the plaintiffs failed to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate their claims of voter card forgery against Ighodalo. The suit was also deemed statute-barred.
Justice Omotosho also held that the suit, being a pre-election case, was filed outside the 14 days allowed under Section 285(9) of the Constitution.
With this ruling Ighodalo is the gubernatorial candidate for the PDP in the upcoming election in Edo State, scheduled for September 2024.