Supreme Court upholds Obaseki’s election as Edo governor, Ize-Iyamu hails verdict

The Supreme Court, on Monday, upheld the election of Mr Godwin Obaseki as the duly elected governor of Edo State.
This followed a judgement 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 challenged Obaseki’s victory of the governorship election conducted on September 28, 2016 before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Edo State, but lost.
He then proceeded to the Court of Appeal in Benin, where he also lost and thereafter proceeded to the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Ize-Iyamu has congratulated Obaseki on his victory at the Supreme Court.
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.