Edo Governorship poll: Shaibu, counsel hail Appeal Court judgement

Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, has hailed Wednesday’s Appeal Court judgement, which reaffirmed the victory of Governor Godwin Obaseki at the September 19, 2020 governorship election.

The Court of Appeal, sitting in Benin, had on Wednesday, upheld the judgement of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal against the Action Democratic Party (ADP), reaffirming the victory of On as emu.

The Appeal Court, delivering the judgement in the case marked CA/B/EPT/GOV/01 & 1A/2021 Action Democratic Party & Anor v. INEC & 2Ors, held that Obaseki did not forge his certificates with which he contested the 2020 governorship election, dismissing the appeal filed by the ADP and its candidate.

In another case marked /B/EPT/GOV/02/2021 Action Peoples Party (APP) Vs Godwin N. Obaseki & 2Ors., the Court unanimously upheld the Judgment of the Tribunal and dismissed the Appeal with costs assessed at N600,000 each, on two different counts, as the governor won all eight issues for determination in the appeal.

Delivering the judgement in favour of the governor, the Presiding Justice, Hon. Justice M.A. Owoade, dismissed the main appeal, the preliminary objection and the cross-appeal.

The Judge noted that the inclusion of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as respondents in the petition, was a ploy by Ize-Iyamu to fight his case through another petitioner, describing it as a case of ‘squeezing the rock for water.

The Deputy Governor, while thanking God for the judgement, said that the court had delivered justice.

“The court is the last hope of the common man, and that has been established today (Wednesday). From the tribunal to the court of Appeal, it is the same judgment. You cannot build something on nothing. The courts have been consistent in their judgement,” Shaibu noted.

“My joy is that the judges displayed courage and also thank our legal teams and Edo people for their prayers. The judges have shown that the judiciary is not just independent but we have courageous judges that will deliver justice just as they have done today”, the deputy governor added.

Counsel to the Governor Obaseki, Ken Mozia (SAN), said: “There were five appeals filed against the decision of the election petition tribunal and the court today (Wednesday), in a virtual sitting, dismissed all five appeals. In order words, it affirms the decision of the tribunal.

“The issues essentially raised are the same. The various courts have repeatedly affirmed that the certificates are not forged; he didn’t provide false information and won the election.

“We won in the Federal High Court, Court of Appeal, Abuja, Tribunal and now the court of Appeal has now reaffirmed it by dismissing all five appeals”, the legal practitioner added.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents

In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…Edo Governorship poll  Edo Governorship poll

Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train

The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…Edo Governorship poll  Edo Governorship poll