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| Gov Obaseki |
The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the election of Mr. Godwin Obaseki as the duly elected governor of Edo.
This followed a judgment delivered in an appeal brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr. Osagie Ize-Iyamu, challenging the decision of the Appeal Court, which had also upheld Obaseki’s election.
The panel of seven justices led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, however, reserved July 21, to give reasons for dismissing Ize- Iyamu’s appeal.
Ize-Iyamu had challenged Obaseki’s victory of the governorship election conducted on Sept. 28, 2016 before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Edo, but lost.
He then proceeded to the Court of Appeal in Benin, where he also lost and thereafter proceeded to the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the PDP candidate in the election, who also challenged the result in court, Ize-Iyamu, has congratulated Gov Obaseki over Supreme Court verdict
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ize-Iyamu congratulated Obaseki in a statement personally signed by him.
He said, “Today, the Supreme Court has by its judgment brought to an end our struggle for the office of the governor of Edo State which began on 28 September, 2016.
“I accept in good faith this decision of the highest court of our country, which affirms Mr. Godwin Obaseki as the governor of Edo State. I therefore congratulate Mr. Godwin Obaseki and assure him of my goodwill.
“I also want to use this opportunity to thank all our supporters and party loyalists for their immense support for our struggle right from the time of the election to this day that it ended at the Supreme Court.
“Let me assure them of my acknowledgement of their various sacrifices and promise that I will always be there for them.
“I thank all Edo people who have been part of our struggle all the way. In our various ways, we should keep the fire burning in the quest for an Edo State of our dreams.”
Ize-Iyamu, alongside the PDP, had challenged the victory of Obaseki, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the September 2016 poll over electoral irregularities.
However, the Edo Election Petition Tribunal in April dismissed the petition for lack of merit, after which the case moved to the appellate court.
In June, the Appeal Court upheld Obaseki’s victory at the poll, but the PDP candidate proceeded to the apex court.
At the Supreme Court on Monday, the seven judges, in a unanimous decision, dismissed the case for lack of merit, putting an end to the tussle.
The Edo chapter of Conference of Nigeria Political Party (CNPP), according to NAN, also on Monday, commended Supreme Court over the judgment.
The Chairman of the conference in the state, Mr. Roy Oribhabo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin that the judgment had rekindled the confidence of the masses in the nation’s judiciary.
Oribhabo who commended the judiciary for the well researched and articulated judgment, said, indeed, judiciary has once demonstrated that they are the last hope of the commoners in Nigeria.
Oribhabo said “this judgment has further vindicated us and the good people of Edo state who freely voted en-masse for Gov. Godwin Obaseki.
“As major stakeholder in Edo politics, we had noted immediately after the election of Sept. 28, 2016, via a world news conference that INEC had conducted one of the best elections in Nigeria.
“We also commended the Nigeria Police for ensuring maximum security across the state, which resulted to a largely peaceful exercise devoid of killings like what happened in some states.
“The electoral umpire, the INEC, trained its staff to be very professional and courteous in the discharge of their duties. Materials arrived as early as 7 a.m. in most polling units across the state.
“Finally, Edo CNPP calls on Gov. Obaseki to continue his good work to reposition our dear state and not to see Ize-Iyamu as enemy but a partner in progress for the betterment of Edo.
“We advise the petitioner to support this administration for the interest of all.”
This followed a judgment delivered in an appeal brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr. Osagie Ize-Iyamu, challenging the decision of the Appeal Court, which had also upheld Obaseki’s election.
The panel of seven justices led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, however, reserved July 21, to give reasons for dismissing Ize- Iyamu’s appeal.
Ize-Iyamu had challenged Obaseki’s victory of the governorship election conducted on Sept. 28, 2016 before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Edo, but lost.
He then proceeded to the Court of Appeal in Benin, where he also lost and thereafter proceeded to the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the PDP candidate in the election, who also challenged the result in court, Ize-Iyamu, has congratulated Gov Obaseki over Supreme Court verdict
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ize-Iyamu congratulated Obaseki in a statement personally signed by him.
He said, “Today, the Supreme Court has by its judgment brought to an end our struggle for the office of the governor of Edo State which began on 28 September, 2016.
“I accept in good faith this decision of the highest court of our country, which affirms Mr. Godwin Obaseki as the governor of Edo State. I therefore congratulate Mr. Godwin Obaseki and assure him of my goodwill.
“I also want to use this opportunity to thank all our supporters and party loyalists for their immense support for our struggle right from the time of the election to this day that it ended at the Supreme Court.
“Let me assure them of my acknowledgement of their various sacrifices and promise that I will always be there for them.
“I thank all Edo people who have been part of our struggle all the way. In our various ways, we should keep the fire burning in the quest for an Edo State of our dreams.”
Ize-Iyamu, alongside the PDP, had challenged the victory of Obaseki, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the September 2016 poll over electoral irregularities.
However, the Edo Election Petition Tribunal in April dismissed the petition for lack of merit, after which the case moved to the appellate court.
In June, the Appeal Court upheld Obaseki’s victory at the poll, but the PDP candidate proceeded to the apex court.
At the Supreme Court on Monday, the seven judges, in a unanimous decision, dismissed the case for lack of merit, putting an end to the tussle.
The Edo chapter of Conference of Nigeria Political Party (CNPP), according to NAN, also on Monday, commended Supreme Court over the judgment.
The Chairman of the conference in the state, Mr. Roy Oribhabo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin that the judgment had rekindled the confidence of the masses in the nation’s judiciary.
Oribhabo who commended the judiciary for the well researched and articulated judgment, said, indeed, judiciary has once demonstrated that they are the last hope of the commoners in Nigeria.
Oribhabo said “this judgment has further vindicated us and the good people of Edo state who freely voted en-masse for Gov. Godwin Obaseki.
“As major stakeholder in Edo politics, we had noted immediately after the election of Sept. 28, 2016, via a world news conference that INEC had conducted one of the best elections in Nigeria.
“We also commended the Nigeria Police for ensuring maximum security across the state, which resulted to a largely peaceful exercise devoid of killings like what happened in some states.
“The electoral umpire, the INEC, trained its staff to be very professional and courteous in the discharge of their duties. Materials arrived as early as 7 a.m. in most polling units across the state.
“Finally, Edo CNPP calls on Gov. Obaseki to continue his good work to reposition our dear state and not to see Ize-Iyamu as enemy but a partner in progress for the betterment of Edo.
“We advise the petitioner to support this administration for the interest of all.”
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