A People’s Democratic Party (PDP) faction’s petition to the Supreme Court regarding the legitimate delegate list used to choose candidates for the general election in Edo State in 2023 was dismissed on Friday.
In a unanimous decision, the supreme court dismissed the appeal on the grounds that it lacked jurisdiction to consider it.
Adhoc Delegate Committee members who supported Orbih petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn the Court of Appeal’s decision against them.
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Recall that the appellate court had set aside the decision of the Federal High Court recognizing the Adhoc Delegate Committee list of the Orbih faction, on the grounds that the trial court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit in the first place.
The appellants (Monday Osagie and others) in their appeal specifically asked the apex court to nullify the decision of the Court of Appeal and restore the judgment of the trial court which recognized them as the authentic Adhoc delegates for the selection of candidates for the National and State House of Assemblies elections slated for next year.
The apex court, however, dismissed the appeal for lack of merit in a unanimous decision.
The five-member panel, presided over by Justice Amina Augie, concurred with the Court of Appeal’s ruling that courts lack the authority to meddle in political parties’ internal affairs.
The appellants lacked the legal standing to file a lawsuit on the delegate list because they were not candidates in the next election, the top court further ruled.
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In accordance with the ruling, only candidates for political office are eligible to petition the court for relief from any alleged irregularities or violations relating to the conduct of a primary election, such as in the present instance.“I hold that the Court of Appeal correctly held that the matter is an intra party affairs. It is not justiciable and not within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
” On the whole, the appeal fails and it is accordingly dismissed”, Justice Emmanuel Agim, who read the judgment held”.
Details later.
