In a landmark decision, the Federal High Court has nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election held on February 22, 2024, in Edo State.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo on Thursday, deemed the election at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin unlawful, citing significant violations of internal democratic processes.
The court’s ruling highlighted the exclusion of 378 legitimate delegates from voting, a move that tainted the integrity of the electoral process. The exclusion, according to Justice Ekwo, rendered the primary election invalid.
Reacting to the court’s decision, Philip Shaibu, the immediate past Deputy Governor of Edo State, expressed his vindication. Shaibu had been a vocal critic of the PDP’s primary process, describing it as a “tea party with no force of law.” He argued that the event lacked the necessary legal and democratic rigor.
Shaibu had conducted a parallel primary election, claiming that those who participated were the “authentic delegates lawfully chosen by the people” to nominate the PDP’s governorship candidate.
In light of the judicial ruling and the ongoing controversies surrounding the PDP’s primary election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has extended an invitation to Shaibu to join their party. Shaibu responded to this development by highlighting the democratic nature of shifting political allegiances, criticizing the PDP for its exclusivity and alleged plans to rig elections.
“When you see a political party wooing people to its group, that party wants to win but when you see a party chasing people away as in the case of the PDP, that party is planning nothing but the rigging of elections,” Shaibu remarked.
The Federal High Court’s decision has thrown the PDP into a legal quandary, raising questions about the party’s adherence to democratic principles and its future political strategies in Edo State.
