The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, barred the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Sherrif Oborevwori, from contesting the 2023 governorship election in Delta State.
Oborevwori who is the incumbent Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly and a representative of the Okpe State Constituency under the PDP is supported by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
The court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, held that Oborevwori lacked the legal competence to participate in the election.
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The verdict followed a suit that was brought before the court by an aggrieved member of the party, Mr. Olorogun Edevbie.
The Plaintiff had among other things, contended that the Defendant was not validly nominated by his party.
He told the court that PDP violated both its constitution and the Electoral Guidelines, during its state congress that produced Oborevwori as its flagbearer for the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
Consequently, the Plaintiff prayed the court to restrain the party from forwarding Oborevwori’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and to also restrain the electoral body from receiving or recognising him as the duly nominated candidate of s the party for the election.
More so, the Plaintiff, sought an order to restrain Oborevwori from parading or carrying himself as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state.
Also cited as Defendants in the matter were the PDP and INEC.
Justice Taiwo held that the suit was meritorious.