Court strikes out suit, dismisses it as premature By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJATHE Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has declined to disqualify the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr Asue Ighodalo, from contesting the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
The court, in a judgment by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, yesterday, struck out the suit brought before it by an aggrieved PDP Governorship aspirant, Anselm Ojezua.
It held that the suit, which was filed on March 6, was premature, stressing that the plaintiff failed to explore the internal dispute resolution mechanism of the party before instituting the action. Justice Egwuatu agreed with Ighodalos lead counsel, Mr. Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, that it was wrong and amounted to a breach of PDPs mandatory rule, for the plaintiff to have sidelined the Appeal Panel of the party.
He held that since it is mandatory for any aggrieved governorship aspirant to explore internal dispute mechanism resolution before approaching a court of law, the plaintiff was bound to comply with the rule like any other aspirant.
