Edo PDP chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, said on Thursday that Asue Ighodalo remains the PDP governorship candidate.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo has reacted to a court’s judgment on its primaries, stating that it does not affect its governorship candidature in the forthcoming election.
Edo PDP chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, said on Thursday that Asue Ighodalo remains the PDP governorship candidate.
“The PDP is aware that certain elements who are scared of the soaring popularity of our candidate are going about peddling rumours that Ighodalo candidature has been nullified.
“Let it be on record that Ighodalo is the PDP flagbearer for the 2024 governorship election in Edo,” he said.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in his judgment on Thursday, held that the PDP’s primary held on February 22 failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; the guidelines for the conduct of the poll amd the party’s constitution.
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Justice Ekwo, who said that the Exhibit PDP 1 tendered by the party was bereft of evidence, held that the plaintiffs, through the exhibits tendered, were able to establish their case against the defendants.
The judge said that from the exhibit presented by the PDP, he found that the returning officers who prepared the result sheets only sat down in a place to manufacture the outcome of the poll.
He said the exclusion of the 381 delegates, including the plaintiffs, were against the provisions of the law.
Justice Ekwo held that, though INEC, the 1st defendant, filed a memorandum of appearance in the suit, it was unfortunate that the commission did not file any process in the case.
