The Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned a Federal High Court ruling that required the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to include 378 excluded ad-hoc delegates in its primary election. The lower court had ruled in favor of the delegates, stating their exclusion from the February 22, 2024, primary for the Edo State governorship election violated the party’s constitution.
However, a three-judge panel at the Court of Appeal determined that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction over the matter. The panel ruled that only aspirants seeking political office have the right to challenge a party’s primary election, not delegates. They also noted that internal party matters, such as primary elections, are beyond the court’s jurisdiction.
The panel’s decision means that the PDP is not required to include the 378 delegates in the primary election process.
