The Court of Appeal in Abuja has nullified a previous judgment by the Federal High Court, which had ordered the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to include 381 ad-hoc delegates in its February 22 governorship primary election in Edo State.
The appeal court ruled that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case, as the plaintiffs lacked the necessary legal standing to initiate the suit.
The three-man panel of the appeal court unanimously agreed that the court cannot interfere with the PDP’s internal processes, including the selection of its candidate for the September 21 governorship election in Edo State. The court further held that members of a political party, like a club, must abide by the party’s rules and cannot challenge internal decisions in court.
This ruling overturns the earlier decision by Justice Inyang Ekwo, which had voided the PDP governorship primary election in Edo State due to the exclusion of 378 delegates. The appeal court’s decision upholds the PDP’s right to conduct its internal elections without judicial interference.
