On Tuesday, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed two distinct lawsuits contesting the declaration of Asue Ighodalo as the victor of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Edo State governorship primary on February 22.

The plaintiffs’ absence of locus standi to file the lawsuit was decided by the court.

Adizetu Umoru filed the first suit, designated FHC/ABJ/CS/195/2024, while Moses Alabi and Christopher Oboarer filed the second, designated FHC/ABJ/CS/196/2024.

The PDP, its National Working Committee, its National Executive Committee, Setonji Koshoedo, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and its acting National Chairman, Abdul Damagum, were all named as defendants in the lawsuits.

In separate motions submitted on February 19, all three plaintiffs asked the court to issue an interim injunction prohibiting the defendants from using the list of ward congresses from February 4 to conduct the PDP primary in Edo State on February 22 while the main suit is being heard and decided.

According to Justice Ekwo’s ruling, the petitioners were unable to persuade the court or demonstrate a strong enough, immediate, and palpable personal interest to warrant the annulment of the primary election.

The plaintiffs failed to demonstrate how the primary election threatened or damaged any of their particular interests, the court ruled.

According to Justice Ekwo, the plaintiffs failed to prove that they were entitled to vote but were stopped or that there had been misconduct committed during the election.