Justice Omotosho of the High Court has dismissed a suit challenging Asue Ighodalo’s qualification on grounds of alleged voter’s card forgery, ruling that the case was statute-barred. The judgement stated that the suit, categorized as a pre-election matter, was filed beyond the 14-day limit stipulated by Section 285(9) of the Constitution.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho emphasized that while forgery or non-possession of a voter’s card could potentially disqualify a candidate under Section 182 of the Constitution, the plaintiffs failed to substantiate their claim that Ighodalo had forged his voter’s card. Consequently, the court found the case devoid of merit and dismissed it.
Furthermore, Justice Omotosho clarified that Shaibu, who contested the primary election that nominated Ighodalo, lacked standing to challenge the validity of Ighodalo’s candidacy since he did not participate in the primary process.
The ruling marks a significant legal setback for the plaintiffs and underscores the stringent timelines and evidentiary requirements governing pre-election disputes under Nigerian law.
