A new lawsuit has been filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the goal of disqualifying the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its gubernatorial candidate, Asue Ighodalo, from the upcoming Edo State election next month.
The legal action, initiated under Section 84(13) of the Electoral Act, 2022, and Section 285(14)(c) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, seeks to enforce a recent Federal High Court judgment that invalidated the process through which Ighodalo was selected as the PDP candidate.
The plaintiff argues that following the Federal High Court’s ruling, INEC is obligated to exclude both the PDP and Ighodalo from participating in the election.
The court had identified irregularities in the primary election that produced Ighodalo as the PDP’s candidate, declaring the process null and void.
According to Section 84(13) of the Electoral Act, any political party that fails to adhere to the Act’s regulations in choosing its candidate forfeits the right to participate in the election.
The plaintiff’s legal team asserts that this section, combined with the constitutional provision referenced, necessitates the PDP’s exclusion from the electoral process.
INEC has stated its intention to comply with the court’s ruling. Given the approaching election date, the court is expected to fast-track its proceedings to address the urgent nature of the case.
