Edo PDP: Guber Campaign Council Responds To Abuja Court Ruling, Calls On Supporters To Remain Calm

Dr Tony Aziegbemi, Edo State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has reacted to the Abuja Federal High Court ruling, which sets aside all processes leading up to the Edo PDP governorship primaries on February 22nd, 2024, and urges party supporters to remain calm.

In a statement, Dr. Aziegbemi stated, “The PDP is aware that certain elements who are afraid of our candidate Dr. Asue Ighodalo’s rising popularity are spreading rumours that Dr. Asue Ighodalo’s candidature has been nullified.

“Let it be on record that the candidature of Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the flag bearer of the party for the 2024 elections remains intact and that the judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja did not in any way affect the candidature of Dr. Asue Ighodalo.”

“We urge our team’s loyal supporters to remain calm and resolute, as there is no cause for concern.”

In another statement on the ruling, the Edo PDP Campaign Organisation declared, “Today, July 4, 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Hon. Justice Ekwo entered a judgement in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/165 of 2024 (HON. KELVIN MOHAMMED & 2 ORS VS INEC & 3 ORS), which was filed by some disgruntled persons who claimed that they were authentic delegates wrongly excluded from participating in the choice of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer in the forthco

“In an unusual development, and contrary to a long line of Appellate Court decisions on the subject, the Hon. Justice ruled that the issue of ward congresses and the selection of delegates is a justiciable matter that the court is entitled to investigate.

It should be noted that the Edo State PDP and the specific court involved in this case have a history on exactly this point, in which the Appellate Court had cause to overturn similar decisions by that same Court and restate the law that ward congresses and delegate selection are purely internal affairs of political parties and are not subject to the jurisdiction of any court.

We are confident that this new decision will not stand up to appeal, and we are actively pursuing all necessary steps in that regard.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the claim in question and the resulting judgement in no way invalidated or even challenged the outcome of the PARTY PRIMARIES, which produced the PDP candidate for the upcoming elections.

The net result is that, contrary to the stories spreading by mischief makers, the PDP primaries held on February 22, 2024, were not set aside, and no order was issued affecting the outcome.

Members and supporters of the PDP, as well as the good people of Edo State, are enjoined to remain calm and ignore the antics of mischief makers, as the falsity of their assertions will be revealed in due time and upon the release of the actual judgement for public consumption.”