The Federal High Court, Abuja has disqualified the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, Mr Sherrif Oborevwori, from contesting the 2023 election.
Delivering judgment on Thursday in a suit filed by Mr Olorogun Edevbie, Justice Taiwo Taiwo held that Oborevwori lacked the legal competence to participate in the election.
The judge held that the suit had merit and accordingly granted the reliefs sought by Edevbie against Oborevwori.
Justice Taiwo agreed with the plaintiff that Oborevwori ought not to be on the 2023 governorship election for the PDP on account of allegedly supplying false and forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in aid of his qualification for the governorship election.
The judge directed INEC and the PDP to recognize Edevbie as candidate of the PDP in the 2023 governorship election in Delta.
Edevbie had approached the court following his grievance with the process that produced Oborevwori as the party’s governorship candidate.
It was his contention that the defendant was not validly nominated by his party.
He also held that the PDP violated both its constitution and the electoral guidelines, during its state congress that produced Oborevwori as its flag bearer for the governorship election.
He prayed the court to restrain the party from forwarding Oborevwori’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The aggrieved party member also asked the court to restrain INEC from receiving or recognising Oborevwori as the duly nominated candidate of the party for the election.
The plaintiff also sought an order to restrain Oborevwori from parading or carrying himself as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state.
Oborevwori, Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, had emerged governorship candidate of the PDP in the May 25 primary election of the PDP.
Edevbie, who came second in the primary, however, contended Oborevwori’s participation in the primary on the grounds of alleged discrepancies in his academic qualifications as well as his age.
He specifically urged the court to bar PDP from submitting Oborevwori’s name as the flag bearer of the party.
He listed Oborevwori, PDP and INEC as 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/795/2022.
He said that the PDP candidate had used the names Oborevwori Sheriff Francis Orohwedor interchangeably in his certificates submitted to INEC.
One of reliefs sought by the plaintiff was a declaration that Oborevwori was not qualified to participate and/or be declared the winner of the PDP Delta governorship primary elections which held on May 25.
He also asked the court to declare that having supplied false information and submitted dubious or forged credentials/certificates in order to participate in and be declared the winner of PDP Delta governorship primary elections, PDP should not submit Oborevwori’s name to INEC as it flag bearer.
“A declaration that the plaintiff who, next to the ineligible and unqualified 1st defendant, scored the highest number of valid votes cast at the Delta governorship primary elections, ought to and should be returned and declared the winner and returned as the candidate of the PDP for the governorship elections in Delta scheduled to hold on March 11, 2023.
“A declaration that the 1st defendant should and ought to be prohibited, inhibited, prevented or otherwise restrained from holding out, parading and or advertising himself as the candidate of the 2nd Defendant for the forthcoming Gubernatorial elections in Delta State scheduled to hold on 11th March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant.
“An order of court commanding, directing or otherwise mandating the 2nd and 3rd defendants to replace, forthwith, the name of the 1st defendant with that of the plaintiff as the lawful candidate of the 2nd defendant for the gubernatorial elections in Delta.
The judge granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff except relief four which sought the prohibition, inhibition, prevention or otherwise restraining Oborevwori from holding out, parading and or advertising himself as the candidate of the PDP for the governorship election.
