The crisis in the Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party deepened on Thursday when a Federal High Court in Abuja disqualified the party’s governorship candidate for the 2023 election, Sheriff Oborevwori.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo agreed with the plaintiff that Oborevwori ought not to be the candidate of the PDP for allegedly supplying false and forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
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The judge subsequently directed INEC and the PDP to recognise the plaintiff, David Edevbie, as the candidate.
Dateline Nigeria reported that while Oborevwori is a godson to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Edevbie is a godson to former Governor James Ibori.
Oborevwori, who is the Speaker of state House of Assembly, had emerged candidate of the PDP in the May 25 primary election of the party.
Edevbie, a former Commissioner of Finance under Ibori, who came second in the primary, had contested Oborevwori’s participation in the primary on the grounds of alleged discrepancies in his academic qualifications as well as his age.
He urged the court to bar the PDP from submitting Oborevwori’s name as the candidate of the party.
Defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/795/2022 are Oborevwori, the PDP and INEC as first, second and third respondents respectively.
Justice Taiwo, in his judgment, granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff except the fourth relief which sought the prohibition, inhibition, prevention or otherwise restraining Oborevwori from holding out, parading and or advertising himself as candidate of the PDP.
Meanwhile, Oborevwori has said he will appeal the judgement.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Dennis Otu, the Speaker called on all his supporters to remain calm, saying that there was no cause for alarm.
