IBUKUNOLUWA KING-OKUNEYE
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Thursday, disqualified Sheriff Oborevwori, as the candidate of the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 governorship election.
In his judgement, Justice Taiwo agreed with the plaintiff that Oborevwori ought not to be in 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 PDP to recognise the plaintiff as the candidate of the PDP in the 2023 governorship election in Delta State.
Oborevwori, the speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly had emerged as PDP’s candidate in the May 25 primary election for the selection of its governorship flag bearer.
However, Olorogun David Edevbie, a former Commissioner of Finance under former Governor James Ibori, who came second in the primary had contended Oborevwori’s participation in the primary on the grounds of alleged discrepancies in his academic qualifications as well as his age.
He pleaded with the court to bar PDP from submitting Oborevwori’s name as the flagbearer of the party.
The plaintiff sought a declaration, “that Oborevwori is not qualified to participate and/or be declared the winner of the PDP Delta State Governorship Primary elections which held on May 25, 2022, for the purpose of electing its candidate or flagbearer in the forthcoming 2023 Gubernatorial Elections in Delta State, scheduled to hold on March 11, 2023, by the 3rd defendant.”
