BREAKING: Court upholds Ighodalo’s candidacy, awards costs against PDP aspirants
The Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed the appeal by Arthur Esene and Anselm Ojezua, governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, who sought to disqualify Asue Ighodalo, the party’s candidate for the September 21 governorship election.
Esene and Ojezua had appealed the April 17 ruling by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which rejected their case on grounds that it was time-barred. Justice Omotosho had determined that they failed to substantiate their claim that Ighodalo had forged his voter’s card, and that lack of a voter’s card was not a disqualifying factor under the Constitution and Electoral Act.
In a ruling delivered on Friday, Justice Hamma Barka upheld Justice Omotosho’s decision, finding that the appeal was both time-barred and meritless.
Justice Barka concurred with the lower court’s finding that Ojezua and others did not prove their allegations and that their claim was based on a misinterpretation of election laws. The appellants had also not contested the trial court’s conclusion that Ighodalo had properly applied for and received a voter’s card from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,.
The appeal was dismissed, and the Court awarded N3 million in costs against the appellants in favor of Ighodalo, PDP, and INEC. Justices Usman Musale and Okon Abang supported Justice Barka’s lead judgment.
Details shortly…
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