Court dismisses Shuaibu, others’ suit seeking Ighodalo’s sack as PDP guber candidate

Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court sitting Abuja has dismissed a suit by the impeached Deputy Governor of Edo State, Phillip Shuaibu and others seeking to void Asue Ighodalo’s nomination as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.

In a judgement delivered on Wednesday, Justice Omotoso held that the suit, which challenged Ighodalo’s qualification on the grounds that he allegedly forged his voter’s card, was statute-barred.

The Judge held that the suit, being a pre-election case, was filed outside the 14 days allowed under Section 285(9) of the Constitution.

He also held that even though forgery or non-possession of a voter’s card was a disqualifying factor under Section 182 of the Constitution, the plaintiff failed to prove that Ighodalo forged his voter’s card as alleged by the plaintiffs and consequently dismissed the case for lacking merit.

…Details later

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