In a significant political development, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the rightful governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State.
The ruling, delivered on Friday, upheld an earlier decision that dismissed allegations of Ighodalo’s candidacy being compromised by a forged voter’s card.
The case, originally brought by Arthur Esene and Anselm Ojezua, had already been dismissed by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court.
The appeal was based on accusations surrounding Ighodalo’s legitimacy, but the appellate court has now reaffirmed that these claims were without merit.
Following the court ruling, Dr. Ighodalo raised concerns regarding the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s decision to deploy electoral officers from Imo and Kogi States to oversee the Edo governorship election.
He expressed a lack of confidence in their ability to ensure a fair and transparent process, given the controversial electoral history of these states.
“We in Edo State want fresh officials from places with a history of free and fair elections,” Ighodalo said in an interview, adding that the people of Edo deserve a transparent process that reflects their true will on September 21.
The appeal against Ighodalo’s candidacy, marked as case no. CA/ABJ/CV/863/2024, was rejected for being filed outside the statutory time limit.
According to Justice Hamma Barka, the case was statute-barred, as it was submitted after the 14-day limit for pre-election suits.
In the lead judgment, Justice Barka emphasized the importance of jurisdiction, stating that any pre-election suit filed beyond the legal time frame strips the court of its authority.
Additionally, the court found that the accusations of forgery were unsubstantiated, further discrediting the case.
As a result, the appeal was struck down for lack of merit, and the appellants were ordered to pay N1 million each in damages to both the PDP and Dr. Asue Ighodalo.
With this ruling, all legal challenges surrounding Dr. Ighodalo’s eligibility have been put to rest. His candidacy for the upcoming Edo governorship election stands firm, and the political landscape in the state now shifts toward the September 21 vote.
As the election date approaches, Ighodalo and his supporters continue to call for a level playing field and fair electoral practices.
This latest ruling marks a crucial victory for the PDP in Edo State, reaffirming their candidate’s legitimacy while highlighting concerns about the electoral process that could shape the outcome of the governorship race.
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