The Peoples Democratic Party has expressed confidence in the integrity of its primary election process and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, despite recent misinterpretations of a court ruling related to the election.
The controversy arose after a recent court ruling was misreported as nullifying the PDP’s governorship primary in Edo State and disqualifying Ighodalo.
However, the PDP’s National Legal Adviser, Barrister Kamarudeen Ajibade (SAN), clarified the situation during the inaugural meeting of the National Campaign Council for the Edo State Governorship Election in Abuja on Saturday.
Ajibade provided clarity on the matter, asserting that the Certified True Copy of the court judgment supports the party’s stance that the primary process was valid and that there is no cause for concern. He explained, “Everyone was taken aback the day before yesterday when the news broke that our governorship primary was annulled and our candidate was disqualified.”
Ajibade outlined that out of the eight cases related to the Edo State governorship election, seven have been resolved. He emphasized that legal disputes are a normal part of a popular party’s electoral process, stating, “It is normal that when your party is popular, contention is normal. The court did not nullify our primary.”
He further elaborated on the court’s role, noting, “The case before the court was the issue of delegates, and there is a court pronouncement that such matters are the internal affairs of the party. And only a person who contests in a party primary has the locus standi to challenge it in court. This is not the first time we are handling such an issue.”
Ajibade reassured the campaign council members, saying, “Don’t be discouraged; you can take the CTC and see for yourselves our candidate is unshaken.”
Earlier in the meeting, the Chairman of the Campaign Council and Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, urged members to prepare diligently for the campaign ahead. He acknowledged the challenges of the task but emphasized the potential for success by leveraging Governor Obaseki’s track record.
Fintiri stated, “We are well aware that that task before us is not an easy one; it requires a lot of commitment from us all. Governor Obaseki’s track record is enough for us to have and make the Edo State election a good one for our party.”
He called on party leaders from Edo State to support the campaign efforts, saying, “It is not an easy task; it requires a lot of commitment from us. We are all politicians, and what we understand is to win this election. We are here to discuss the nitty-gritty for our success. The secretary will share us into committees to make our job easier.”
Fintiri’s address was a call to action for unity and dedication among the campaign council members to ensure a successful electoral outcome for the PDP in the upcoming Edo State governorship election.
