The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal challenging the eligibility of Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Edo State governorship election. The appeal was filed by two other PDP aspirants, Arthur Esene and Anselm Ojezua, who sought to disqualify Ighodalo from running in the upcoming election scheduled for September 21, 2024.
Esene and Ojezua had contested a previous ruling by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja. On April 17, 2024, the Justice dismissed their case, stating that it was filed too late and was therefore statute-barred. The judge also concluded that the claim that Ighodalo had forged his voter’s card was unproven.
Furthermore, the court determined that not having a voter’s card did not disqualify a candidate under the relevant laws, including the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
In their appeal, Esene and Ojezua requested that the Court of Appeal overturn Justice Omotosho’s decision. They argued that the lower court’s judgment was incorrect and that Ighodalo should be barred from participating in the election due to issues related to his voter’s card.
However, the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Hamma Barka, upheld the earlier ruling. Justice Barka agreed that the appeal was filed beyond the legal timeframe and lacked substantive merit.
Justice Barka reinforced that Esene and Ojezua did not successfully challenge the findings of the Federal High Court, which confirmed that Ighodalo had followed the proper procedures to transfer his voter registration from Lagos State to Edo State.
INEC had duly issued him a new voter’s card, making his registration valid for the election.
The Court of Appeal’s judgment not only dismissed the appeal but also imposed a cost of N3 million on Esene and Ojezua, to be paid to Ighodalo, the PDP, and INEC. This ruling aims to cover legal expenses and compensate for the procedural issues raised in the appeal.
Justices Usman Musale and Okon Abang, who were part of the panel, concurred with Justice Barka’s decision.
This ruling confirms that Asue Ighodalo remains eligible to run in the governorship election, providing clarity as Edo State approaches a significant electoral event.
