A Federal High Court in Benin, the Edo State capital has disqualified the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for Oredo East Constituency, Osaro Obazee.
This is coming barely two days to Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections.
The judge, Justice Damilola Ajayi ruled that Ekhosuehi Aiguobahi is the rightful candidate of the APC for the election.
Obazee is a former chairman of Oredo Local Government Area.
The trial judge ruled that Ekhosuehi won last year’s primary of the party and, therefore, remains the rightful candidate for Saturday’s election.
Reacting to the judgement Obazee told newsmen, yesterday, in Benin, that, “My supporters should come out en masse to vote for me on Saturday.
“I’ve the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) form, which was given to me as the candidate who won the primary. They should remain calm.”
Also speaking about the court ruling, Edo State spokesman of the APC, Chris Azebamwan, told reporters that Obazee remains the party’s candidate for the constituency.
Azebamwan, who spoke with newsmen at the APC state secretariat, said, “We, hereby, re-affirm Obazee as the candidate of the APC in Oredo East Constituency, and, hereby, reassure our supporters to keep the faith and remain steadfast.
“The leadership of our party will do everything necessary, and explore all legal options to ensure the mandate which we collectively gave Obazee to fly our flag in the election on Saturday remains inviolate.”
