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Edo guber: Court disqualifies Ize-Iyamu, Audu as APC candidates

I’ll appeal judgement, says governorship flag bearer

The High Court sitting in Benin, the Edo State capital, yesterday disqualified both governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 19, 2020 governorship election in the state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the party’s deputy governorship candidate, Hon. Gani Audu.

Justice Courage Ogbebor, in his verdict, held that Audu was not qualified to contest the election as a result of discrepancies in the names in his documents and what he submitted in INEC’s Form EC9. The case, in Suit No B/358/2020, was brought against Audu by the plaintiff, Sunday Kadiri, from Ogbona Ward in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state. The plaintiff had asked the court to disqualify Audu from participating in the election on account of having allegedly given false information to the electoral commission to aid his qualification for the governorship election.

He also prayed the court to annul the candidacy of Ize-Iyamu as APC governorship candidate on account of running with an unqualified candidate as running mate. Reacting to the development, Ize-Iyamu described the judgement as “unfortunate and utterly wrong.”

Ize-Iyamu said: “I have already instructed my counsel to appeal the judgement 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.” He, therefore, urged his teeming supporters to remain calm and law abiding as justice would surely prevail in the matter. “I urge all my teeming supporters to remain calm and law abiding. Justice will surely prevail in this matter to the glory of our God,” he stated.

It would be recalled that in a similar pre-election matter, an Abuja Federal High Court of coordinate jurisdiction had, in suit number FHC/ABJ/ CS/758/2020, filed by Action Democratic Party (ADP), dismissed the matter with a cost, on the ground that the reliefs sought had been overtaken by events. The court stated that the election had held and a winner emerged.

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