By Ovie Okpare
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has disqualified the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State.
The court in a case filed by Olorogun David Edevbie, who came second in the governorship primaries of the PDP in the state, ruled that Oborevwori was not qualified to contest the 2023 governorship election over discrepancies in his results.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who gave the ruling on Thursday, held that Oborevwori lacked the legal requirements to be the flagbearer of the PDP in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
Edevbie had in the case prayed the court to disqualify Oborevwori on the grounds that he was not validly nominated by his party.
He further told the court that his party (PDP) violated both its constitution and the Electoral Guidelines, during its state congress that produced Oborevwori as gubernatorial candidate.
The aggrieved PDP governorship aspirant, subsequently, asked the court to restrain the party from forwarding Oborevwori’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the candidate of the party.
Edevbie also asked the court to restrain INEC from accepting the name of Oborevwori as the governorship candidate of the PDP from Delta as well as an order stopping Oborevwori from parading himself as the governorship candidate of the party.
The case marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/795/2022 listed Oborevwori Sheriff Francis Orohwedor, PDP and INEC as 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents.
Delivering judgement in the suit, Justice Taiwo held that Edevbie’s case had merit and granted the prayers sought by him.
According to the presiding Judge, Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori is not qualified to contest for the office of Governorship of Delta State because it is dubious to bear several names.
The Plaintiff Olorogun David Edevbie case is not statute bar. The plaintiff has locus and right to file the case and has proved his case against the fraud perpetuated by Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori beyond all reasonable doubt.
According to the presiding Judge “Yes, that the 1st defendant Oborevwori have not approach the authority in charge of the certificates submitted by him with an inconsistent names, makes his act fraudulent and unfit to participate in the election according to the supreme court decision on PDP vs EDEMAHIE”.
“That the plaintiff has proved his case to stop a person with such character as the defendant from participating in the election. He stated that the court is bound by its rulings and the pleading submitted and sort by the parties, the court cannot grant what is not pleaded by the party”.
“In accordance with the the provision of S 84(3) of electoral act, the court held that the plaintiff (David Edevbie) is the valid Governorship candidate of the PDP in Delta state and should be accorded the maximum respect”.
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