Delta Gubernatorial Ticket: Appeal Court Postpones Judgement

Following the reservation of judgment in an appeal filed by the speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and PDP primary winner, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, palpable anxiety has grown over who will fly the party's flag in the 2023 governorship election in Delta State.

The decision of a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal regarding Oborevwori and the PDP's appeal against the ruling of Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, who ordered the removal of Oborevwori as the PDP candidate in the 2023 governorship election in Delta State, was reserved, announced on Friday.

After hearing arguments for and against the appeal from attorneys, the panel, presided over by Justice Peter Ige, reached its conclusion.

The PDP flagbearer had been found guilty of forgery allegations in a judgment handed down by Justice Taiwo on July 7. He then ordered his removal as the PDP's candidate on the grounds that such actions are equivalent to being ineligible for public office.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had received fraudulent and misleading documents from Oborevwori in order to help him qualify for the governorship contest, and the court had agreed with Edevbie that Oborevwori shouldn't be on the ballot for the PDP primary poll.

Justice Taiwo subsequently ruled that Oborevwori would be replaced in the Delta State 2023 gubernatorial election by Olorogun David Edevbie, the primary winner.

But unhappy, Oborevwori had petitioned the appellate court for an order overturning his dismissal and another declaring him the PDP candidate.

At the appeal hearing on Friday, Oborevwori's main attorney, Mr. Damian Dodo, SAN, urged the court to accept the appeal and provide all of the reliefs requested, including overturning Justice Taiwo's ruling from July 7 that dismissed his client.

Edevbie's attorney, Mr. Ejembi Eko, SAN, also adopted his written speech as his brief in opposition to the appeal, pleading with the court to reject the appeal for lack of substance and uphold the lower court's ruling.

Justice Ige stated that "judgment is reserved to a date that will be disclosed to parties in the suit" after receiving comments from the parties.

However, given that the lawsuit is a pre-election matter and would end on September 5, the court is expected to issue its ruling within the following 16 days.

Source