BY MYKE UZENDU, ABUJA

The crisis in the Edo state chapter of the People’s Democratic party (PDP) may not be abated soon as Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu on Monday, dragged Dr. Asue Ighodalo, PDP, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before a Federal High Court in Abuja over the party primary held on 22nd of February, 2024.

Comrade Shaibu is asking to court to cancel the governorship primary election which took place at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin-City on 22nd February, 2024 where the 4th defendant, Asue Ighodalo purportedly emerged as the Governorship Candidate of the party.

The Deputy Governor through his Counsel, Doyin Awoyale SAN asked the Court to direct PDP to withdraw forthwith the Certificate of Return issued to Ighodalo that emerged from an invalid and unlawful governorship primary election conducted contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of PDP and the Electoral Act.

Shaiubu further asked the court to issue an injunction restraining Ighodalo from parading himself as the duly nominated governorship candidate of the party in the forthcoming Edo State Governorship Election scheduled for the 21st of September 2024.

The originating summons reads: ” AN ORDER of injunction restraining the I^{st} Defendant from accepting and/or recognizing the name of the 4^{tb} Defendant as the Governorship candidate of the 2^{nd} Defendant in the 2024 Edo State Governorship election scheduled to be conducted by the 1^{x} Defendant on the 21 of September 2024.

“AN ORDER of this Honourable Court restraining the Defendants by themselves and/agents, representatives, organs chapters, etc from tampering with and/or discarding the delegates lists that emerged from the 2^{nd} Defendant’s congresses of 4^{th} February 2024 and 10th February, 2024 conducted by the National Working Committee of the 2^{nd} Defendant.

“AN ORDER of this Honourable Court mandating the 2^{nd} Defendant to conduct a fresh Governorship Primary Election for the Nomination of the Governorship Candidate for the 2^{nd} Defendant in the 2024 Edo

In a suit no FHC/ABJ/CS/308/2024 , the deputy governor sought for the following reliefs : That A DECLARATION that upon a proper construction of the provisions of Sections 84 (1), (5B) & (13) of the Electoral Act, 2022; Article 15 (2) of the 2^{ND} Defendant’s Constitution; Part 1 Paragraph 1 (A), (B) and Part 1 Paragraph 1 (1) of the 2^{ND} Defendant’s Electoral Guidelines for Governorship Primary Election, it is only Ad Hoc Delegates that emerge from a Special Local Government Area Congress and Special Ward Congresses conducted by the 2^{nd} Defendant National Working Committee (NWC) that are eligible to vote in the Edo State PDP Governorship Primary Election held on the 22nd February, 2024.

“A DECLARATION that upon a proper construction of the provisions of Section 84(1), (5B), (8) and (13) of the Electoral Act 2022; Articles 15(2), 50 (1), (2B) of the 2^{ND} Defendant’s Constitution; Part 1 Paragraph 1 (A), (B) and Part 1 Paragraph 1 (1) of the 2^{ND} Defendant’s Guidelines for Governorship Primary Election, the 2nd Defendant cannot alter, modify, amend, exclude or substitute the list of ad hoc delegates from a Special Local Government Area Congress and Special Ward Congresses conducted by the 2^{nd} Defendant National Working Committee (NWC)who emerged as delegates for the purpose of nominating the Edo State PDP Governorship Candidate in the forthcoming Edo State Governorship Election scheduled for the 21 of September 2024?

“A DECLARATION that upon a proper construction of the provisions of Section 84 (1), (2), (5B) & 13 of the Electoral Act, 2022; Articles 15 (2), 50 (1), (2B) of the 2^{ND} Defendant’s Constitution; Part 1 Paragraph 1 (A), (B) and Part 1 Paragraph 1 (1) of the 2ND Defendant’s Guidelines for Governorship Primary Election, the purported Governorship Primary Election conducted by the 2^{nd} Defendant at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin-City on the 22^{nd} of February 2024, from where the 4th Defendant purportedly emerged as the Governorship Candidate of the 2ND Defendant, is null and void.

“A DECLARATION that the 1 Defendant is not entitled to accept or recognize the 4th Defendant as the duly nominated governorship candidate of the 2^{nd} Defendant in Edo State for the 21″ of September 2024 Governorship Election, having emerged from an invalid, unlawful and illegal primaries conducted contrary to Section 84(1), (5B), (8) and (13) of the Electoral Act 2022; Articles 15(2), 50 (1), (2B) of the 2ND Defendant’s Constitution; Part 1 Paragraph 1 (A), (B) and Part 1 Paragraph 1 (1) of the 2ND Defendant’s Guidelines for Governorship Primary Election.”

No date has been fixed for hearing.