ABUJA – In a unanimous decision, a three-man panel of the appellate court dismissed an appeal filed by embattled Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu. The court found no merit in Shaibu’s appeal, which sought to invalidate the governorship primary election conducted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State.
The appellate court upheld the May 27 judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had also dismissed Shaibu’s case. The court emphasized that Shaibu lacked the legal standing to challenge the primary election’s outcome as he did not meet the required conditions.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja had previously ruled that Shaibu did not have the legal right to nullify the primary poll’s results since he did not participate in the election he sought to challenge. Justice Omotosho highlighted that participating in the disputed election is a fundamental requirement for any plaintiff aiming to contest its outcome.
Additionally, the appellate court imposed a cost of ₦1 million against Shaibu in favor of the respondents in the case.
