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Suits Challenging Ighodalo’s Candidacy: Court To Deliver Judgment April 30

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A Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, fixed April 30 for judgment in two separate suits challenging the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s primaries that produced Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the party’s governorship candidate for the September 21 Edo poll.

Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date, after counsel for the parties adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the suits.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reported that while the first suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/195/2024, was filed by Adizetu Umoru, the second suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/196/2024, was filed by Moses Alabi and Christopher Oboarer.

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The plaintiffs had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, PDP, Umar Damagun (acting national chairman), Setonji Koshoedo, PDP’s National Working Committee, NWC, and its National Executive Committee, NEC, as 1st to 6th defendants respectively.

READ ALSO: How I Was Drafted Into The Pro-democracy Struggle – Edo PDP Guber Candidate, Ighodalo

The three plaintiffs, in their separate ex-parte motions dated and filed February 19, specifically sought an interim order of the court restraining the defendants from using the list of ward congresses held on February 4, for the purpose of conducting the PDP’s primaries in Edo State, slated for February 22 or any other date pending the hearing and determination of the main suit.

Mr Magaji Ibrahim, SAN, who moved the two separate motions, said that the primaries would amount to a nullity if allowed to hold on the grounds that the process which produced the delegates is defective.

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According to Ibrahim, the PDP trampled upon the judgment of the court delivered on January 9 when the acting national secretary of the party announced the information of the ward congresses.

He recalled that the court, presided over by Justice Ekwo, had, in the January 9 judgment, declared Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP.

READ ALSO: Edo Guber: PDP Names Ighodalo’s Running Mate

He argued that rather than comply with the judgment, the party went ahead to appoint an acting national secretary in flagrant disobedience of the court.

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It was the claims of the applicants that the action of the acting national secretary amounted to an illegality, and by extension, the product of the ward congresses held on February 4.

They, therefore, prayed the court to restrain the party and INEC from making use of the list of delegates from the alleged defective congresses.

Although Justice Ekwo declined to grant the application to stop the poll conduct, the judge ordered the applicants to put the defendants on notice to enable them to appear before the court and show cause why the request against them should not be granted.

READ ALSO: Court Dismisses Suit Seeking To Stop Elections, Examinations On Saturday

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Upon resumed hearing of the matter, yesterday, Mathew Burkaa, SAN, who appeared for Umoru, adopted all their processes, including the originating summons dated February 14.
Burkaa urged the court to dismiss the notice of preliminary objection filed by the defendants and grant their prayers.

INEC’s lawyer, I.S. Mohammed, PDP’s counsel, Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN; and lawyer who appeared for Damagun and Koshoedo, Kehibde Ofunwumiju, SAN, and Robert Emukpoeruo, who represented the NWC and NEC, urged the court to dismiss the suit, saying that a notice of preliminary objection was filed by the commission. He prayed the court to strike out the suit on merit and award substantial cost.

Also the second suit was equally argued in the same vein.

Meanwhile, the judge fixed the third suit filed on behalf of the 378 ad hoc delegates in Edo primary poll against INEC, PDP, national secretary of PDP and the vice chairman, PDP South South (1st to 4th defendants) until May 2 for ruling on motion seeking for a change of counsel for the 4th defendant.

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Group Says Court Would Rectify LP Primary Infractions In Favour Of Imansuangbon

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A pressure group under the umbrella of Shine Your Eyes Group, (SYEG) has asked Edo Labour Party in the state to save the party and its candidate, Olumide Akpata, from legal embarrassment over the weighty allegations as contained in the petition filed against his emergence by Barrister Kenneth Imansuangbon, than attacking the SYEG over it position.

The group said the major issues before the court for determination among others is whether in substituting his deputy Alufokhai Oluyinka Faith he complied within the time limit and the constitution.

In a statement endorsed by the group’s coordinator, Comrade Jonah Ifada and Secretary Osagie Omoregie, said INEC should not be blamed for any perceived infraction by the party, adding that the electoral body did not nominate Alufokhai for the LP in the first place.

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Ifada argued, “What Imansuangbon in his application is asking the court to determine is whether the party followed the normal National Working Committee, NWC’s approval?

“Whether the mandatory signatories by Abure and the National secretary was obtained and if the answer are in the negative then Akpata does not have a substitution and therefore not a candidate of the LP in the eyes of the law.”

Ifada said the APC and PDP are keenly watching and waiting in the wings for the party to make this grievous mistake adding that the Supreme Court judgment in Bayelsa was very explicit and in line with section 29 of the electoral act.

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“We want to say with due respect to our judges that the world is watching and that if Donald Trump can be brought to trial before the watchful eyes of the world Olumide can’t use the court to legitimate his error and Nigeria need to move with the rest of the world and respect of rule of law and democracy.

READ ALSO: Benue To Build Brewery As Residents Spend N850m On Beer Monthly

“Olumide among others pledged oath of allegiance to another country called Vanuate which is against Section 182 of our constitution. Imansuangbon is not contending that he was born in Germany but our Country is against his voluntary oath of allegiance to another country.

“We want to remind him that he cannot appropriate and reprobate at the same time. In the coming days, activities in Vanuate will be revealed to Nigerians and the world,” he added.

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It further noted that it is not the turn of Edo South and that was why the APC and PDP went to Edo Central to nominate their candidates.

The group also reminded the LP publicity secretary, Comrade Sam Uroupa that Shine Your Group he attempted to deride in his watery statement is an existing body that includes all ‘mama, ‘papa, pikin and those who want a better Edo state are members of the body and are in the majority.

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Edo Poll: PDP Gubernatorial Aspirant Resigns From Party

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Felix Akhabue, a former gubernatorial aspirant for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 21, Edo State election, has resigned from the party.

Akhabue was among the 10 aspirant who contested the party’s primary election in February and protested against the conduct of its ward and local government congresses.

READ ALSO: JUST-IN: Terrorists Kill Two, Abduct 18 In Fresh Kaduna Attack

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Akhabue, a former, chairman of Esan West Local Government Area as well as Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Cooperative and Industry in Governor Godwin Obaseki’s first tenure, dumped the party in a letter dated May 6, 2024, and addressed to the Ward 7 chairman of the party in Esan West local Government Area.

 

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Edo Poll: Akoko-Edo PDP Leaders Meet Deputy Gov, Pledge Massive Votes For Ighodalo

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Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State Tuesday assured the Deputy Governor of the state, Marvellous Omobayo, of their preparedness to deliver block votes to the party’s governorship candidate, Barrister Asue Ighodalo in the forthcoming September 21st governorship election.

The leaders who came from ward (4), (3) and ward (5) was led by Comrade Princeswill Ogunnubi (ward 4), said Akoko-Edo, since the appointment of their kinsman as deputy governor, Akoko-Edo is a no go area for the opposition All Progressives Congress in the state, just as he predicted victory for the PDP.

Ogunnubi, who spoke during a courtesy call on the deputy governor at his office on a solidarity visit, noted that the visit was imperative to assure the number two citizen of the state of their readiness towards the continuity of the PDP in the state beyond 2024.

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He said. “We are not just here today in solidarity with you on your appointment but to also assure you of our unalloyed support to deliver on the political trust and confidence reposed in you by the governor on your appointment.

“You can see that since your assumption as the deputy governor the youth of the state that forms majority of the voting population are excited and solidly behind you to see that you succeed and as a people are eternally grateful to Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“It is on record that we have never had it this good apart from the statutory elective political offices. The time has come for us to compensate the governor by delivering Barrister Asue Ighodalo as the next governor of the Edo State.”

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Also on the visit, Mr Ernest Akpaja, another leader, stressed on the need for all party members to close rank and join forces in the task ahead.

READ ALSO: Man Dies On Top Of Married Woman In Akure

This appointment is a testament to the Governor’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness. We believe Deputy Governor Godwin will make significant contributions to advancing the governor’s development agenda,” Akpaja said.

Omobayo who was elated at the visit, appealed to the leaders to sustain the unity of purpose in ensuring that Akoko-Edo is solidly “PDP and PDP is Akoko-Edo.”

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While thanking the leaders remarked, “Without mincing words, I can assure you that Akoko-Edo will get more positions under the PDP if voted back into power. More better days ahead for our people.”

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