Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed two separate suits against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election that produced Asue Ighodalo as candidate of the party in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.
Ekwo dismissed the suits for being incompetent and lacking in merit, on the grounds that the plaintiffs lacked the legal authority to institute the cases in the first place.
The plaintiffs had dragged the PDP and other defendants to court over the delegates’ list used for the conduct of the February primary election.
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.
The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), PDP, Umar Damagu (acting national chairman), Setonji Koshoedo, PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), and its National Executive Committee (NEC) were 1st to 6th defendants respectively.
In their separate motions filed on February 19, 2024, plaintiffs had prayed the court to restrain 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.
Delivering ruling in preliminary objections to the suit, Justice Ekwo however, agreed with the defendants that the plaintiffs lacked locus standi to bring the case against the defendants in the first instance.
The judge held that he did not see how and where the plaintiffs were affected by the primary election.
According to the court, the plaintiffs did not establish whether they were eligible to participate in the election but prevented or whether wrongdoings were displayed during the election.
“I find that the plaintiffs have no locus standi to file the suit, I so hold”, the judge said, adding that when a plaintiff has been adjudged to have no locus, the court ceases to have jurisdiction to entertain the suit. “This suit is hereby dismissed,” Ekwo held.
Alex Enumah
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