The Peoples Democratic Party, on Sunday, expressed confidence that its candidate for the September 21, 2024 Edo State governorship election, Asue Ighodalo, will coast to victory notwithstanding frivolous lawsuits and smear campaigns targeted at him.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said this in a statement on Sunday on the back of last week’s judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja nullifying the February 22 governorship primary of the Edo PDP, which produced Ighodalo as the party’s flag-bearer.
Justice Inyang Ekwo nullified the primary while giving judgment in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/165/2024,challenging the exclusion of 378 delegates from the primary.
The PDP had rejected the judgment and vowed to go on appeal.
Ologunagba,in a statement on Sunday,said efforts to distract Ighodalo would end in futility.
He said, “The Peoples Democratic Party affirms that smear campaigns and frivolous litigation aimed to distract its candidate in the September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, are all efforts in futility as he is the undisputed choice of the majority of the people of Edo State.
“The PDP alerts that it is aware of a well-oiled plot by certain egocentric and overtly ambitious individuals to orchestrate a series of coordinated smear campaigns against Dr. Asue Ighodalo, being frustrated by his emergence as candidate, his overwhelming popularity across the state and the fact that he is already coasting to victory in the election.
“The party has been made aware of how these angry and bitter individuals have been going around the courts and reportedly attempting to induce certain judicial officers to procure damaging rulings against our candidate.
“It has also come to the knowledge of our party that these unscrupulous elements have been attempting to compromise the media to publish fabrications against our candidate and campaign.
“Our party has it on good authority that the intent of these individuals who have been holding clandestine meetings in locations in Abuja and Benin City is to cause crisis and derail the democratic process leading to the Edo State governorship election.
“Information available shows that these politicians are behind the erroneous report that our party’s governorship primary in Edo State was nullified by the court when the court indeed did not issue any order to that effect.
“These individuals have been going about brazenly boasting that they have the connection and capacity to compromise the courts.
“Such barefaced boast is a direct assault on the sensibility and pride of the majority of the people of Edo State as well as the institutions of democracy where the will of the majority of the people must prevail.
“Our party alerts the institution of the judiciary, the Mmedia and security agencies to be wary of the antics and activities of these elements and take steps to resist their shenanigans which is a clear and present danger to the sustenance of democracy in our country.”
Ologunagba said the PDP would not be deterred by the mischiefs “of these failed individuals as their schemes against Dr. Asue Ighodalo and the people of Edo State have come to naught having already been exposed.”
