The Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin-City, yesterday nullified the candidacies of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Osagie Ize-Iyamu and his running mate, Audu Ganiyu Abudu, in the September 19, 2020 election.
Abudu was accused of presenting false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in his Form EC9 to enable him to contest the governorship election.
The case was brought against Abudu by the plaintiff, Hon. Sunday Kadiri from Ogbona ward, in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.
The plaintiff had asked the court to disqualify Abudu from participating in the election on account of having allegedly given false information to the electoral commission to aid his qualification.
He prayed the court to annul the candidacy of Ize-Iyamu as the APC candidate because he was paired with an unqualified candidate as a running mate.
In his judgment, Justice Courage Ogbebor nullified the candidacy of Ize-Iyamu and Abudu.
Reacting to the judgment, Ize-Iyamu described the judgment as unfortunate and utterly wrong and urged his supporters to remain calm and law abiding.
He said he has instructed his lawyer to appeal the judgment because he is convinced that the Court of Appeal will reverse it.
“I have received the news of the judgment delivered today, 6th day of January 2021, by the Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City, disqualifying me and my running mate, Hon. Gani Audu Abudu, from contesting the gubernatorial election held in Edo State on 19th September 2020.
“This judgment, to say the least, is unfortunate and utterly wrong.
“I have already instructed my counsel to appeal against the judgment as I am convinced that the Court of Appeal will dispassionately consider the facts presented before the court and arrive at a just decision in accordance with the law.
“I urge all my teeming supporters to remain calm and law abiding. Justice will surely prevail in this matter,” Ize-Iyamu stated
Yesterday’s judgment came three weeks after the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, had dismissed a similar suit seeking to disqualify Ize-Iyamu’s running mate from the election.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/758/2020, was filed by the Action Democratic Party (ADP) which alleged that Audu presented forged documents to INEC.
The plaintiff also alleged that the documents contain misleading discrepancies, especially in name arrangement.
Ruling on the matter, however, the court dismissed the suit with cost to the plaintiff.
