BEVERLY HILLS, June 22, (THEWILL) – A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has issued an order stopping Governor Godwin Obaseki from participating in the Edo State governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party, his new party, slated for June 25, 2020.
Justice E.A. Obile gave the order Monday based on a motion ex parte filed by an Applicant, governorship aspirant and member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama.
The Defendants in the matter are Prince Uche Secondus, Emmanuel Ogidi, and members of the party’s screening committee –Honourable Kingsley Chinda, Chief Debekeme Boyleyefa, Senator James Manager, Ajibola Muraina — PDP, Godwin Obaseki and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
THEWILL recalls that the PDP’s National Working Committee, NWC, granted Obaseki a waiver to enable him purchase the party’s governorship form and participate in the primary after the original period it set for purchase of forms and screening had expired.
Obaseki formally joined the party on Friday, 19 June, 2020.
The party had also reconvened the Chinda-led screening committee, which had ended its assignment on the 5th of June to exclusively screen Obaseki last Saturday.
Ogbeide-Ihama prayed the court to approve an interim order stopping the party from allowing Obaseki participate in the primary because the timeline set and widely publicized by the party for entry had closed.
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Substantive hearing of the suit has been adjourned till Wednesday 24 June.
Obaseki is expected to appeal the order.
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