Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed March 14 to hear the cases challenging the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship primary election that produced Asue Ighodalo as the party’s flagbearer for the Edo State gubernatorial poll slated for Saturday, September 21.
The suits marked FHC /ABJ /CS/ 195/2024 were filed by Adizetu Hadizat Audrey and Abosede Adunni Umoru. Another suit marked FHC /ABJ /CS/ 196/2024 was filed by Moses Adomokha Alabi and Christopher Ebode Oboarere.
Joined as respondents are the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), Setonji Koshoedo, PDP’s National Working Committee(NWC), PDP, acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Executive Committee(NEC).
The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Magaji Ibrahim, told Justice Inyang Ekwo in his two separate motions that the PDP primary election ought to be nullified if it was held on February 22 based on an alleged “defective” delegates list.
He urged the court to restrain the party from holding the primaries, contending that PDP’s election victory could be set aside in view of its unconstitutional ward congress.
He also contended that the process which produced the party’s delegates list was defective because Senator Samuel Anyanwu who the court had declared as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP, was not engaged in the selection process.
Parties were then ordered by the court to show cause why the PDP primaries should not be stopped. At the resumption of proceedings on Wednesday, Matthew Burkaa, announced appearance for the plaintiffs saying the parties had been served with his processes as ordered by the court.
However, the legal team representing some of the defendants said they have not filed replies to the substantive suit of the plaintiffs. Subsequently, Justice Ekwo gave ten days to each defendant to file responses to the plaintiffs’ substantive suits.
“This matter is adjourned to March 14 for hearing and on the date of hearing, the preliminary objection shall be taken together with the substantive matter,” Ekwo ruled
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