- The PDP stated it remains unshaken by the misinterpretation of the court ruling on its primary and candidate, Asue Ighodalo
- The PDP’s National Legal Adviser clarified that the court ruling did not nullify the party’s primary, and Ighodalo remains the candidate
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stated that it remains unshaken by the misinterpretation of the court ruling on the status of its primary and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo. The PDP’s National Legal Adviser, Barr. Kamarudeen Ajibade (SAN), made this clear during the inaugural meeting of the National Campaign Council for the Edo State Governorship Election in Abuja on Saturday.
Ajibade clarified that the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment confirms the party’s position that its candidate emerged through a credible process, thus 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. We had eight (8) cases in Edo; seven (7) cases were done with. It is normal that when your party is popular, contention is normal. The court did not nullify our primary. The case before the court was the issue of delegates, and there is a court pronouncement that such matters are the party’s internal affairs. 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.”
Addressing the campaign council members, Ajibade reassured them, “Don’t be discouraged; you can take the CTC and see for yourselves our candidate is unshaken.”
Earlier, the Chairman of the Campaign Council and Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, in his welcome address, urged committee members to prepare for the task ahead. He emphasized, “We are well aware that the task before us is not easy; 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. It is not an easy task; it requires a lot of commitment from us. We are all politicians, and what we understand is that we need 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 also called on party leaders from Edo State to collaborate with the candidate and the committee to ensure the success of the campaigns and the election proper.
