Obaseki trying to pervert Appeal Court ruling, Orbih group alleges

The Legacy faction of Edo state Peoples Democratic Party led by the National Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, has accused the Governor Godwin Obaseki group of trying to pervert the ruling of the Appeal Court delivered on 23^rd of November, 2022.

It would be recalled that the Appeal Court had delivered its judgment in the Appeal filed by The Legacy PDP candidates against the judgment of the Federal High Court Benin delivered on the 27th of September, 2022 in favour of the Obaseki’s group.

In the lead judgment delivered by Tunde Oyebamiji Awotoye JCA, the three leaned Justices, struck out/set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court Benin after declining jurisdiction due to the incomplete records of judgment transmitted to the Appeal Court.

The judgment which was delivered on Friday automatically means only aspirants who emerged from the primary election conducted by Orbih’s group will stand for elective positions in the 2023 general elections.

The Legacy group in a statement alleged that barely a week after the judgment, the Obaseki group, on Monday 28th November, approached the Justices to reverse and amend their judgment.

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“They claimed that their Lordships mistakenly struck out the High Court Benin judgment instead of the Appeal. More surprising, their Lordships actually called a meeting of the lawyers of both sides to consider this unholy request.

“Unfortunately for the mischief makers, the Legacy PDP candidates have long filed the notice of Appeal before the Supreme Court based on the letters of the certified true copies of the November 23rd judgment. More so, the 60 days period of the Appeal Court has lapsed on the 26th of November thereby taking the case out of the jurisdiction of the Appeal Court.

“In a display of desperation and confusion, the Obaseki’s group has gone ahead to file a motion with the Appeal Court Justices for them to amend and change the judgment. This is an exercise in futility.

“Just as they held onto the incomplete records transmitted from the Federal High Court, the Legacy PDP candidates are holding onto the certified true copies of the November 23rd judgment.  On this judgment we stand.”