Ighodalo Emerges Edo PDP Candidate

*Court refused to stop exercise

Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin

Frontline governorship aspirant in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo has emerged candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the September 21 gubernatorial election in the state.
But a parallel exercise, by a faction of the party held, yesterday, produced the Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, as its candidate for the governorship election.

This was as Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, turned down request to stop the PDP from proceeding with its primary election.
Ighodalo was elected at the delegate election of the party, held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.
The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal was chairman of the election committee and Chief Returning Officer of the election, while the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori was co-chairman.

The exercise, which threw up the former chairman of Sterling Bank and Nigeria Brewery PlC, was no less a  coronation of his candidacy, as he scored a total of 577 votes to beat Shaibu, who scored 1 vote while other candidates scored zero vote.

A total of 10 aspirants had contested for the ticket. Some of the aspirants, which included Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, former member, representing Oredo federal constituency, and Omosede Igbinedion had earlier withdrawn their participation in the election.
Other aspirants were Arthur Esele, Anselm Ojezua, Osaro Onaiwu, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru, and Felix Akhabue
While Ogbeide-Ihama blamed irregularities and corrupted process by the national working committee (NWC) of the party for his withdrawal from the race, Omosede Igbinedion stepped down for Ighodalo.

Shaibu, however, stayed away from the exercise, having declared self as winner at a parallel primary organised by him at his official residence, where he purportedly emerged candidate with 300 votes.
However, in his acceptance speech, Ighodalo, thanked Governor Godwin Obaseki and the entire people of Edo State for their love and support.
He noted that Obaseki has laid the foundation for him to build upon if he was eventually elected governor, and promised to assemble young men and women in his government to turn the state around.

Meanwhile, the  Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, venue of  the exercise witnessed heavy presence of police operatives and other security agencies.
Motorists were not  allowed to access the stadium road as men of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency checked and stopped  vehicles intending to use the road to gain entrance into the stadium.
Several police officers were stationed along the road, while many others were at the entrance of the stadium, ensuring that only those with  business at the venue were allowed in.

The primary election was however feasible after Justice Ekwo turned down request to stop it.
Instead, he ordered that the PDP be put on notice and appear before the court to explain why the request of the plaintiffs/applicants should not be granted.
The judge made the order while delivering ruling in two separate exparte applications brought by some aggrieved members of the PDP.

While the first suit marked: FHC /ABJ /CS/ 195/2024, was filed by Adizetu Hadizat Audrey Abosede Adunni Umoru, the second marked: FHC /ABJ /CS/ 196/2024, was filed by Moses Adomokha Alabi and Christopher Ebode Oboarere.
Respondents in the two suits were Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, Setonji Koshoedo, PDP’s NWC and NEC.

The two plaintiffs/applicants in their separate applications 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 primary 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 pointed out that the primary election would amount to a nullity if allowed to hold, on the grounds that the process which produced the delegates was defective.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo, who observed that the motions of the applicants seeking to arrest the conduct of the primary, but declined to grant the application.
The judge rather ordered the applicants to put the defendants on notice to enable them appear before the court and show cause why the request against them should not be granted.

They are to appear before the court on February 28, the next adjourned date for hearing.
Meanwhile, the court also gave the applicants two days to serve the court’s order and other processes regarding the suits on the defendants.
The court in addition ordered service of the court’s documents on the 2,3 and 5 defendants through substituted service by pasting same on the headquarters of the PDP.