Court stops Obaseki from participating in PDP Edo primary

…Hearing adjourned till Wednesday

A Federal High Court on Monday, has barred Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, from participating in the PDP governorship primary.

Justice E.A. Obile of the Federal High Court in his verdict in Port Harcourt stopped the newest member of the PDP from taking part in the party’s primary election scheduled for Thursday, June 25.

The motion filed by a member of the opposition, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, is seeking a court injunction to stop Secondus and PDP from permitting Obaseki to buy the forms for the Edo State governorship primary.

Also, read: BREAKING! Ize-Iyamu clinches Edo APC governorship ticket

The party’s national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, PDP, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), chairman of the party screening committee, Kingsley Chinda, other members of the committee, and Obaseki were itemised as defendants in the case. Justice Obile granted the interim injunction as demanded as hearing in the matter case has been adjourned till Wednesday, June 24. The PDP had earlier announced a waiver for Obaseki who joined the party on Friday, June 19, to allow him to participate in the primary election. Obaseki was screened by the party’s committee on Saturday, June 20.

It will be recalled that a prominent aspirant of the PDP in Edo State, Gideon Ikhine, stepped down from the governorship primaries for Governor Obaseki. Ikhine, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE), announced his decision on Monday, June 22, at his campaign secretariat in the state capital, Benin. Governor Obaseki, the PDP state party chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, and other party leaders from across the state were in attendance at the briefing.

Meanwhile, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has emerged as the APC flag bearer in the Edo State governorship election slated for September 19.