Edo State Election: Details of Court Decisive Rulling on Philip Shaibu’s Appeal, Ighodalo’s Candidacy
On July 22, 2024, the Court of Appeal in Abuja delivered a decisive ruling, affirming Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the officially nominated governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the upcoming Edo State elections. According to a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment issued on August 8, 2024, the court rejected former Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu’s appeal against the Federal High Court’s May 27 ruling, which was issued by Justice Omotoso.
The appellate panel, which included Justices A.M. Lamido, Tunde Awotoye, and Patricia Mahmoud, unanimously upheld the lower court’s decision. They determined that Shaibu’s case was premature and lacked merit, noting that Shaibu did not have the legal standing to challenge the PDP primaries due to his non-participation.
The court confirmed that the delegate congresses were conducted according to legal requirements and PDP’s constitution, validating the delegates published by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC). Additionally, the ruling upheld the legitimacy of the primary election that nominated Ighodalo as the party’s candidate.
The court also affirmed the validity of Ighodalo’s Permanent Voter Card (PVC), which had been confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The Federal High Court had previously found that Shaibu did not provide adequate evidence to dispute the authenticity of the PVC.
In addition to dismissing Shaibu’s appeal, the court imposed a fine of ₦1 million on Shaibu, to be paid to each of the four respondents: INEC, the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, and Dr. Asue Ighodalo. This ruling reinforces Ighodalo’s position as the PDP’s candidate for the Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024.
This judgment represents a significant victory for Ighodalo and the PDP, as it confirms the validity of Ighodalo’s nomination and dismisses all challenges against it.
