Asue Ighodalo stands victorious as the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo on Tuesday, has ruled in favor of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) primary election process.
The court’s dismissal of the lawsuits challenging the primary election results has solidified Ighodalo’s position as the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate for Edo State.
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The defendants in the case included 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).
In motions filed on February 19, 2024, the plaintiffs sought to restrain the defendants from using the list of ward congresses held on February 4 for the purpose of conducting the PDP’s primary in Edo State, slated for February 22 or any other date, pending the hearing and determination of the main suit.
However, in his ruling on preliminary objections to the suit, Justice Ekwo concurred with the defendants that the plaintiffs lacked locus standi to bring the case against the defendants in the first instance. He stated, “I find that the plaintiffs have no locus standi to file the suit, I so hold.”
The judge further explained that the court did not see how and where the plaintiffs were affected by the primary election.
He noted that the plaintiffs did not establish whether they were eligible to participate in the election but were prevented, or whether any wrongdoings occurred during the election.
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He further clarified, “When a plaintiff has been adjudged to have no locus, the court ceases to have jurisdiction to entertain the suit. This suit is hereby dismissed.”
