The Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Edo State Campaign Organisation for the September 21 Governorship Election, Matthew Iduoriyemkewen, has commended the Federal High Court, Abuja ruling, which affirmed Asue Ighodalo as the governorship candidate of the PDP.
Speaking to Channels Television in Benin City, the Edo State capital, Iduoriyemkewen said the PDP had always been focused on campaigns ahead of the governorship polls.
He insisted that the judgment did not come as a surprise because the matter was in court to cause distraction.
He called on the aggrieved members to put the interest of the party ahead of personal ambitions, noting that only one person can represent the PDP at the governorship election.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Wednesday, dismissed a suit by reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu and others, seeking to void Ighodalo’s nomination, as the candidate of the PDP in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.
In a judgement, Justice Omotosho held that the suit, which challenged Ighodalo’s qualification because he allegedly forged his voter’s card, was statute-barred.
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Justice Omotosho held that the suit, being a Pre-election case, was filed outside the 14 days allowed under Section 285(9) of the Constitution.
The judge also held that even though forgery or non-possession of a voter’s card was a disqualifying factor under Section 182 of the Constitution, the plaintiff failed to prove that Ighodalo forged his voter’s card as alleged by the plaintiffs.
The judge dismissed the case for lacking in merit.
The court also held that Shaibu lacked the right to challenge the primary that produced Ighodalo, having not participated in the exercise.
