The National Electoral Commission (INEC) has obeyed court order to qualify Governor Godwin Obaseki from PDP primaries.
This INEC decision followed the Tuesday’s court order which was forty-eight (48) hours before the PDP primary election.
The Commission has said it will obey the order by the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, which restrained Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki from participating in the governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
INEC’s spokesman, Festus Okoye confirmed that the electoral commission in line with its policy on respecting court orders has resolved to respect the order by Hon. Justice E.A. Obile.
The electoral body also warned political parties that it will respect every litigation emanating from primary elections while stressing that such litigation can harm the smooth conduct of the governorship election. A PDP
Recalled that a governorship aspirant, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, had filed the suit, insisting that Obaseki did not purchase PDP form or undergo screening within the time-table schedule.
The ruling comes 24 hours after a frontline aspirant of the PDP in Edo state, Mr Gideon Ikhine, stepped down for Governor Obaseki. Ikhine, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE), announced his decision on Monday, June 22 at his campaign secretariat in the state capital, Benin.
Governor Obaseki, the PDP state party chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi and other party leaders from across the state were in attendance at the briefing. Ikhine said Governor Obaseki’s defection to the party was God’s great answer to the party and his aspiration.
