9 Appeal Court upholds Obaseki’s election

The Court of Appeal in Benin City yesterday upheld the ruling of the Edo State election petitions tribunal which affirmed the election of Governor Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 28, 2016 governorship election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Obaseki winner of the election while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, challenged the decision at the tribunal.

Dissatisfied with the tribunal’s judgment, the PDP and Ize-Iyamu through their counsels led by Yusuf Ali (SAN), filed 41 grounds of appeal against the judgment.

The two issues formulated for determination by the appeal panel were ruled against the PDP and IzeIyamu.

In the panel’s ruling read by Justice M.O. Bolaji Yusuf, it held that the tribunal did a painstaking job in its judgment and consequently dismissed the appeal.

“Therefore, we find this appeal unmeritorious and is hereby dismissed and all parties involved would bear his or her own cost,” he said.

Responding, Obaseki said: “One thing you must always know is that the truth never changes. I won the election. God has affirmed that I won the election, the court has now affirmed that I won the election. We have done a little bit of work. I know that people are pleased with what we have done. But I want to assure them that it is only the beginning. We will put in everything we have to make sure that Edo State becomes the state that it should be,” he said.

On his part, counsel to the PDP, Barr. Imariagbe Godswill Edewi, said they were dissatisfied with the entire judgment and would appeal at the Supreme Court.

“The Supreme Court will give the final say. We are not pulling out from the case. We are taking it to the Supreme Court,” he said.