A federal High Court Sitting in Abuja has Thursday disqualified the candidature of Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori as flag bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 General Elections.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo who presided ruled that Mr. Sherrif Oborevwori isn’t qualified to contest.
The Union Nigeria learnt that in accordance with the provision of Section 84 (3) of electoral act, the court held that the plaintiff, Olorogun David Edevbie is the valid Governorship candidate of the PDP in Delta state and should be accorded the maximum respect.
Delivering judgment, Justice Taiwo agreed with the plaintiff that Oborevwori, ought not to be on the 2023 governorship election for the PDP on account of allegedly supplying false and forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in aid of his qualification for the governorship election.
The judge subsequently directed INEC and the PDP to recognize the plaintiff as candidate of the PDP in the 2023 governorship election in Delta State.
Oborevwori, who is the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly had emerged candidate of the PDP in the May 25 primary election for the selection of its governorship flag bearer.
However, Olorogun David Edevbie, a former Commissioner of Finance under former Governor James Ibori, who came second in the primary had contended Oborevwori’s participation in the primary on the grounds of alleged discrepancies in his academic qualifications as well as his age.
He specifically urged the court to bar PDP from submitting Oborevwori’s name as the flag-bearer of the party.
Among the reliefs sought by the plaintiff are a declaration, “that Oborevwori is not qualified to participate and/or be declared the winner of the PDP Delta State Governorship Primary elections which held on May 25, 2022 for the purpose of electing its candidate or flag-bearer in the forthcoming 2023 Gubernatorial Elections in Delta State, scheduled to hold on March 11, 2023 by the 3rd defendant.”
The plaintiff, Edvbie also sought relief that having supplied false information and submitted dubious or forged credentials/certificates in order to participate in and be declared the winner of the 2nd Defendant’s Delta State Governorship Primary elections which held on 25th May, 2022, the 2nd Defendant herein is legally precluded from submitting, forwarding or otherwise transmitting the name of the 1st Defendant to the 3rd Defendant as the candidate or flag-bearer of the 2nd Defendant in the forthcoming Governorship elections in Delta State, now scheduled to hold on 11th March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant.
Other reliefs which were sought and granted by the court include; a declaration that the Plaintiff who, next to the ineligible and unqualified 1st Defendant, scored the highest number of valid votes cast at the Delta State Governorship Primary elections of the 2nd Defendant which held on 25th May, 2022, ought to and should be returned and declared the winner of the 2nd Defendant’s Governorship Primaries and, accordingly, returned as the candidate of the 1st Defendant for the forthcoming Governorship elections in Delta State scheduled to hold on 11th March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant;
“A declaration that the 3rd Defendant is legally precluded or prohibited from accepting or receiving from, acting on or otherwise recognizing or giving effect to the name of the 1st Defendant as the candidate or flag-bearer of the 2nd Defendant for the forthcoming Gubernatorial elections in Delta State now scheduled for 11th March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant;
“An order of this Honourable Court disqualifying the 1st Defendant from participating as the candidate of the 2nd Defendant in the forthcoming 2023 Gubernatorial elections in Delta state, scheduled for 11th March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant;
“An order of this Honourable Court commanding, directing or otherwise mandating the 2nd and 3rd Defendants to replace, forthwith, the name of the 1st Defendant with that of the Plaintiff as the lawful candidate of the 2nd Defendant for the forthcoming Gubernatorial elections in Delta State, now scheduled for 11th March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant.
