Edo Guber: September 19 is set aside by the court to hear the APC’s lawsuit against Ighodalo

The APC claims that Ighodalo’s candidacy violates provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022. They are asking the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove Ighodalo’s name from the ballot and its online portal. INEC, however, has urged the court to dismiss the suit, stating that Ighodalo is legally the PDP’s chosen candidate.

During the latest hearing, both parties’ lawyers agreed to adjourn the case to give the PDP’s legal team time to respond to the APC’s amended application. This amendment, filed on August 30, seeks to adjust their legal argument and remove certain references from the case.

The APC’s main argument revolves around Section 84(13) of the Electoral Act, 2022. They believe INEC has a duty to disqualify political candidates who do not follow the rules set out in the law. The APC also wants the court to declare part of Section 84 of the Electoral Act unconstitutional, as they argue it conflicts with the 1999 Constitution.

On the other side, Ighodalo’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Ken Mozia, has raised an objection, stating that the APC’s amended motion is not valid. They argue the court cannot hear a motion for amendment while there is still a preliminary objection in place. They also claim that the APC’s new legal arguments are “statute-barred,” meaning they are too late to be introduced at this stage.

The hearing on September 19 will determine how the case proceeds, with the judge deciding whether the APC’s requests for amendments will be accepted and if the case can move forward.

For now, the Edo State governorship election remains scheduled for September 21, with Asue Ighodalo as the PDP’s official candidate.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>