Court nullifies Ize-Iyamu’s, running mate’s candidacies
Titus Akhigbe, Benin
The Edo State High Court has held that All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate, Audu Ganiyu Abudu, presented false information to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in his Form EC9 to enable him contest the September 19, 2020 gubernatorial election.
The case with suit number: B/3582020 was brought against Abudu by the plaintiff, Sunday Kadiri, from Ogbona ward, in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, the same local government that the former hails from.
In the judgement delivered by Honourable Justice Courage Ogbebor, the court nullified the deputy governor candidacy of the APC’s Abudu, in the Edo State election.
The plaintiff had asked the court to disqualify the candidate for Deputy Governor from participating in the election on account of having allegedly given false information to the electoral commission to aid his qualification for the election.
He prayed the court to annul the candidacy of Pastor Osagie Ize-iyamu as the APC candidate for governor on account of running with an unqualified person.
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Ize-Iyamu described the judgement as “unfortunate and utterly wrong”, disclosing that he had instructed his counsel to appeal against it.
Urging his supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, Ize-Iyamu expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal will “surely prevail in the matter to the glory of our God.”
A Federal High Court of competent jurisdiction had in a suit number FHC/ABJ/ CS/758/2020 ruled that the this same case presented before it had been overtaken by event and that the matter has become “sterile, obsolete and of no effect.”
