“….DISMISSES APPLICATION SEEKING NULLIFICATION OF PDP PRIMARY*
Says Delegates lack locus to challenge Primaries
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has reaffirmed the nomination of Asue Ighodalo as Governorship Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in Edo State.
In a unanimous judgement delivered by Justice Musali JCA in the suit marked CA/ABJ/CV/764/2024, the Appeal court held that the Delegates who sought to nullify the PDP Primaries lack locus and therefore the trial court has no Jurisdiction to nullify the PDP primaries.
The Appellate court further stated that
Under s. 84 (14) of the Electoral Act, it is only aspirants that can challenge a primary election.
“They are delegates and not aspirants. Delegates do not have any locus to challenge the process of the primary election.
Ad hoc delegates are not aspirants and therefore they have no locus to sue as the matter is an internal affairs of Peoples Democractic Party ” The Court held
Consequently, the Appellant court upheld the February 22 primaries of the PDP in Edo State, which produced Dr. Asue Ighodalo as Governorship Candidate of the PDP as validly and lawfully conducted.