… Says primary election followed due process, no eligible delegate excluded

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Thursday that its candidate in the September 21, 2024 Edo State governorship election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, “remains validly in the race, contrary to erroneous interpretative media reports of the ruling by the Federal High Court, Abuja.”

“The PDP states that the Court did not make any Order nullifying the Primary election of Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the Party’s candidate for the Edo State Governorship election as there are no grounds whatsoever for such,” the party said in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba.

According to the statement, “The Party affirms that the Congresses and subsequent Governorship Primary that produced Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the winner and Party’s flagbearer were duly and legally conducted in strict compliance with the provisions of the Constitution and Electoral Guidelines of the PDP, the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

“The PDP maintains that no eligible delegate was excluded from participating in the Primary election which accreditation, polling, counting of ballot, collation and declaration of results were publicly conducted, monitored by officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant security agencies at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City which exercise was also duly broadcasted live on national TV stations and multiple Social Media platforms.

“Moreover, the PDP holds that pursuant to the provisions of Section 84 (14) of the Electoral Act, 2022, the case is even of no moment as the plaintiffs have no locus to question the outcome of the Primary election not being aspirants in the exercise.

“Additionally, it must be noted that the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs do not include the disqualification and/or nullification of the Primary election of Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the winner of the Edo State Governorship Primary election of the PDP. The Court is not a Father Christmas.”

PDP urged the public, “especially the people of Edo State to disregard the report and remain focused on their solidarity and support for the PDP and its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo.”