Court Dismisses APC’s Bid to Disqualify Asue Ighodalo from Edo Governorship Race

In a key legal ruling, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has suffered another defeat in its attempt to disqualify Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, from the upcoming Edo State Governorship election.

The APC had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to remove Ighodalo from the race.

However, on Friday, Justice Peter Lifu dismissed the suit, agreeing with Ighodalo’s counsel, Chief Akinlolu Kehinde, who argued that the case lacked merit and was baseless.

Justice Lifu rejected the APC’s request to rely on a prior court judgment that questioned the validity of the PDP primary election, deeming the attempt as inappropriate.

The earlier judgment, delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo on July 4, had raised concerns about the exclusion of 378 delegates from the February 22 PDP primary. While it did not nullify the primary, the APC had used it to challenge Ighodalo’s candidacy.

In this fresh suit (THC/ABJ/CS/165/2024), Justice Lifu emphasized that the Federal High Court cannot review its own rulings like an appellate court. He further stated that the APC had no standing to meddle in the PDP’s internal matters.

Additionally, Justice Lifu noted that the earlier ruling cited by the APC had already been overturned by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

With the case dismissed, Ighodalo remains a candidate in the race. The APC had brought the case against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ighodalo, and the PDP as defendants.