Politics

Edo Guber: Court Strikes Out Suit Seeking To Disqualify Asue Ighodalo As PDP Candidate

Published

1 year ago

June 26, 2024

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a suit seeking to prohibit Barrister Asue Ighodalo from being presented as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the forthcoming Edo State governorship election.

The Judge threw out the suit instituted by an aggrieved PDP governorship aspirant, Anselm Ojeizu, on the ground that the case was premature at the time it was filed on March 6.

Delivering judgment in the suit on Wednesday, Justice Egwuatu held that the plaintiff, Anselm Ojeizu failed to explore the mandatory internal mechanism of PDP to ventilate his anger before rushing to Court.

Justice Egwuatu agreed with lead counsel to Ighodalo, Mr Akinlolu Kehinde, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN that it was wrong and a breach of PDP mandatory rule on the part of Ojeizu to have sidelined the Appeal Panel of PDP in the resolution of his dispute before filing the case.

Ojeizu had sued Ighodalo, the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, praying for an order cancelling the February 22 primary election that produced Ighodalo as the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate.

His grouse was that the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the guidelines of PDP were grossly violated in the conduct of the primary election at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.

Specifically, the aggrieved governorship aspirant alleged that a fake and adulterated delegates list was used in the conduct of the indirect primary election.

But Justice Egwuatu held that since it is mandatory for any aggrieved governorship aspirant to explore internal dispute mechanism resolution before approaching a court of law, Ojeizu is bound to comply with the rule like any other aspirant.

“In a matter of this nature, conditions precedents must be respected and complied with by any aspirant as had severally enunciated by the Supreme Court in all its decisions”, the Judge said.

Ighodalo, a lawyer and investment banker, had on February 22 emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), having defeated other aspirants in a primary election at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

The lawyer is believed to be Governor Obaseki’s preferred aspirant scored 577 votes to beat Barrister Anselm Ojezua, Arthur Esele, Osaro Onaiwu, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru and Felix Akhabue all scoring zero, while six votes were voided out of the 585 accredited delegates.

He was declared the winner by the Chief Returning Officer of the Edo PDP Gubernatorial Primaries and the governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Dauda Lawal.

Related Topics:#edo poll Asue Ighodalo Edo Guber

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Politics

Oshiomhole Blasts Amaechi, Says He Built Railway To Niger Republic Instead Of Port Harcourt

Published

19 hours ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole on Monday criticised former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, accusing him of poor judgment and misplaced priorities during his tenure in office.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Oshiomhole said: “Rotimi Amaechi is the most terrible. Look at the choice of language. A guy who shut down Rivers judiciary because he wanted to appoint his own personal favourite as chief judge of Rivers State. Once he couldn’t have his way, the Rivers State judiciary was shut down for almost two years.

“Look at the crisis in the railway system that he superintendent over for eight unbroken years. He was unable to get the priorities right, playing to the gallery.

“Now he rather constructed a rail, not to Kano, not to Port Harcourt, where he came from, but to Niger Republic.

“Which goods are we sending to Niger Republic? He was a minister. And if you were a minister under Buhari, you will be fair to him, life or death, that Buhari gave anyone he appointed free hand to do the job he assigned to you. That is what Buhari was.”

Politics

State Police Can No Longer Be Delayed – South-West Governors

Published

19 hours ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

The Southwest Governors Forum is set to create a South West Regional Security Fund to strengthen responses to insecurity in the region.

This initiative aims to address the rise in kidnapping, banditry, illegal mining, and unregulated interstate migration.

The decision was reached during a meeting of the six governors on Monday at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State.

In the communiqué issued at the end, it was agreed that all six states would support coordinated operations, joint intelligence sharing, and rapid-response initiatives across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states.

The governors also emphasised that the establishment of state police “can no longer be delayed.”

They applauded President Bola Tinubu for security interventions in states affected by kidnappings, while urging sustained attention on regional development.

Politics

JUST IN: Atiku Officially Joins ADC, Registers With Party In Adamawa

Published

1 day ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has officially registered as a member of the African Democratic Congress in Adamawa State, signalling a major development in Nigeria’s opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The registration took place on Monday, following Atiku’s announcement to ADC supporters and stakeholders in Adamawa over the weekend.

Abdul Rasheeth, an aide to the former vice president, had confirmed the development in a statement obtained by The PUNCH.

Videos and photos from the event showed Atiku’s convoy arriving in the town to the cheers of supporters, who beat drums, sang, and carried placards with his image.

Atiku waved and greeted well-wishers from his vehicle as he received his ADC membership card.

In a brief X (Formerly Twitter) post on his handle shorty after his registration, Atiku wrote,” It’s official. -AA”

This move formalises Atiku’s association with the coalition party, which he had previously endorsed in July as a platform for opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Babachir Lawal, to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Until now, Atiku and other opposition leaders had delayed their formal registration with the ADC.

The former vice president’s registration is expected to strengthen the party’s profile and consolidate the opposition ahead of the next general election.