A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has restrained the embattled Governor Godwin Obaseki from participating in the Thursday June 25 governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State.
The court in a suit filed by one of the PDP aspirant for the governorship ticket, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, to disqualify Obaseki from contesting in the primary over alleged discrepancies in his educational attainments.
The suit marked FHC/PH/CS/69/2020 was filed on Monday by the plaintiff.
According to BIGPEN, the restraining order was granted by Justice E.A Obile while also ordering all parties in the suit to maintain status quo be maintained pending the determination of the suit.
NIGER DELTA TODAY Online reports that Obaseki had defected to the PDP following his disqualification by the All Progressives Congress (APC) on alleged discrepancies in the certificates of the governor.
Obaseki’s disqualification came on the heels of the prolonged cold-war between him and the national chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
Joined in the suit is the Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, INEC, Governor Obaseki, Emmanuel Ogidi, Hon. Kingsley Chinda; Chief Bodekeme Boyleyefa, Sen. James Manager, Hon. Ajibola Muraina and PDP.
Ogbeide-Ihama is praying the court to stop Obaseki from participating in the primary on the grounds that the Edo Governor did not purchase the party’s nomination form for the election.
He similarly told the court that Obaseki did not undergo screening of the party within the stipulated time before the National Working Committee of the PDP granted Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, waiver to contest the election.
Ogbeide-Ihama also questioned the validity of Obaseki’s certificates.
The plaintiff had sought an order of the court restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); from recognising Godwin Obaseki as a candidate of the PDP in the primary election should him participate in the exercise.
Consequently, Justice Obile who heard the motion ex-parte ordered that the status quo be maintained.
Hon. Justice E.A Obile, who granted the order, allowed Ogbeide-Ihama to serve the parties through substituted means in two national dailies and adjourned till June 24 for hearing of the summon.
