The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council for Edo Election says the party would win the governorship poll despite the recent court judgment against its candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
The council’s chairman, Governor Amadu Fintiri of Adamawa, stated this during the council’s inaugural meeting on Saturday in Abuja.
Mr Fintiri said the party would appeal Thursday’s judgment of Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, which he described as a temporary setback.
Mr Ekwo voided the February 22 primary election that produced Mr Ighodalo as its candidate. The court voided the exercise on grounds that 378 delegates were unlawfully excluded from voting.
“Yes, there is a little setback, temporarily. God will see us through it,” said Mr Fintiri. “Anybody who peruse and look through the entire process will know it’s a child’s play.”
“We are all politicians and the only thing we understand in politics is to win elections. That is why there is no second position in any election. You either win, or you are lost. In this outing, we are out to win.
“We will put more commitment and more work than we have not intended to do earlier so that we will put our detractors to shame. And this is what we know best,” he said.
Mr Fintiri advised the members not to be deterred but to put in their commitment and sacrifice for the party’s victory in the election.
“The candidate has a lot of credibility with him. We can make him win if we are serious,” Mr Fintiri said.
PDP National Legal Adviser Kamarudeen Adebayo also advised the council not to be distracted by the court ruling.
He noted that the Certified True Copy (CTC) on the ruling did not nullify the PDP primary election as made to believe.
Mr Adebayo said the party in Edo had eight suits, of which the court had addressed seven in favour of the party. According to him, the eighth case will also go in the same direction.
He said the Supreme Court had already ruled that issues related to delegates were purely internal affairs of political parties.
Mr Adebayo said the National Assembly had also introduced the provisions of section 84 (14) to say that only an aspirant who participates in an election or primary election can challenge the outcome.
“We had three cases before Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo on the same subject matter that has to do with the issue of delegates.
“He gave us judgments based on primary objections to say that they don’t have locus standi to even approach his court in two of the cases.
“We were taken aback and surprised that in the last case pending before him, he made a somersault. But just like I said, in the wisdom of the judge, he saw that, maybe from a different angle.
“We should know that by the time we get to the Appeal Court, we’ll be able to put our records in proper perspectives. It’s not the first time we are handling this kind of matter,” Mr Adebayo said.
A former Edo governor, Lucky Igbinedion, expressed confidence that the PDP would win the state election, noting that Mr Ighodalo had already visited 192 wards to solicit support and votes.
In his remarks, Mr Ighodalo said he knew the election would be difficult due to distractions, but that victory for PDP was certain with the support of the council members and all.
He pledged that he and his running mate would work to make Edo remain a great state.
(NAN)