A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice E.A. Obile, has refused to bar Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, from participating in the June 25 Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries.
One of the governorship aspirants, Mr. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, had, in suit No: PHC/PH/CS/09/2020, challenged Obaseki’s eligibility to participate in the election, vowing not to step down for him.
Ogbeide-Ihama had argued that Obaseki did not purchase the PDP form or undergo screening within the time-table schedule.
The presiding judge, E. A Obile, however, declined the prayer but directed that the motion seeking to bar the governor from the contest be served on all defendants including Obaseki via newspaper publication.
The suit, which had Prince Uche Secndus, Emmanuel Ogidi, Kingsley Chindah , James Manager, Barrister Ajibola Muraina, PDP, INEC and Godwin Obaseki as defendants, was adjourned to Wednesday, June 24, 2020.
Obaseki joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following a protracted feud with Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of the APC, the party that brought him to power.
The crisis got to the climax with the disqualification of the governor from participating in the party’s primary election ahead of the governorship poll over alleged discrepancies in his credentials. Following his carpet crossing to the PDP, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, last Friday granted waiver to Obaseki to contest the Edo governorship election’s primary. The NWC said the action is in pursuant to Section 29(2)(b) of the PDP constitution and in exercise of the powers of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under Section (50)(3)(b) of the PDP constitution.
Media Report