Court Removes Oborevwori, Installs Edevbie as Delta PDP Guber Candidate

*Party sues for calm, says no cause for alarm 

*Excitement in ex-finance commissioner’s camp, speaker vows to appeal judgment

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba and Alex Enumah in Abuja

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, disqualified candidate of the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 governorship election, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.

Taiwo, in the judgment, agreed with the plaintiff that Oborevwori, ought not to be on the 2023 governorship election for the PDP on account of allegedly supplying false and forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in aid of his qualification for the governorship election.
The judge subsequently directed INEC and the PDP to recognise the plaintiff as candidate of the PDP in the 2023 governorship election in Delta State.
But the Delta State chapter of the PDP, has called for calm from all stakeholders over the disqualification of Oborevwori as the governorship candidate, even as the sacked standard bearer, has vowed to appeal the judgment.

However, there was palpable excitement in the camp of the former finance commissioner, which sees the development as a significant victory and expressed delight at the turn of events.

Oborevwori, who is the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly had emerged governorship candidate of the PDP in the May 25 primary election for the 2023 polls.

But Olorogun David Edevbie, a former Commissioner of Finance under former Governor James Ibori, who came second in the primary, had contested Oborevwori’s participation in the primary on the grounds of alleged discrepancies in his academic qualifications as well as his age.

He specifically urged the court to bar PDP from submitting Oborevwori’s name as the flagbearer of the party.

Defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/795/2022 were Oborevwori, PDP and INEC as 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents respectively.

The PDP candidate had used the names Oborevwori Sheriff Francis Orohwedor interchangeably in his certificates submitted to INEC.

Among the reliefs sought by the plaintiff included declarations, “that Oborevwori is not qualified to participate and/or be declared the winner of the PDP Delta State Governorship Primary elections, which held on May 25, 2022 for the purpose of electing its candidate or flagbearer in the forthcoming 2023 Gubernatorial Elections in Delta State, scheduled to hold on March 11, 2023 by the 3rd defendant.

“A declaration that having supplied false information and submitted dubious or forged credentials/certificates in order to participate in and be declared the winner of the 2nd Defendant’s Delta State Governorship Primary elections, which held on 25th May, 2022, the 2nd Defendant herein is legally precluded from submitting, forwarding or otherwise transmitting the name of the 1st Defendant to the 3rd Defendant as the candidate or flagbearer of the 2nd Defendant in the forthcoming Governorship elections in Delta State, now scheduled to hold on March 11, 2023 by the 3rd defendant.

“A declaration that the Plaintiff who, next to the ineligible and unqualified 1st defendant, scored the highest number of valid votes cast at the Delta State Governorship Primary elections of the 2nd Defendant which held on 25th May, 2022, ought to and should be returned and declared the winner of the 2nd Defendant’s Governorship Primaries and, accordingly, returned as the candidate of the 1st Defendant for the forthcoming Governorship elections in Delta State scheduled to hold on 11th March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant.

“A declaration that the 1st Defendant should and ought to be prohibited, inhibited, prevented or otherwise restrained from holding out, parading and or advertising himself as the candidate of the 2nd Defendant for the forthcoming Gubernatorial elections in Delta State scheduled to hold on 11th March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant.

“A declaration that the 3rd Defendant is legally precluded or prohibited from accepting or receiving from, acting on or otherwise recognizing or giving effect to the name of the 1st Defendant as the candidate or flagbearer of the 2nd Defendant for the forthcoming Gubernatorial elections in Delta State now scheduled for 11th March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant.  

“An order of this Honourable Court disqualifying the 1st Defendant from participating as the candidate of the 2nd Defendant in the forthcoming 2023 Gubernatorial elections in Delta state, scheduled for 11th March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant.

“An order of this Honourable Court commanding, directing or otherwise mandating the 2nd and 3rd Defendants to replace, forthwith, the name of the 1st Defendant with that of the Plaintiff as the lawful candidate of the 2nd Defendant for the forthcoming Gubernatorial elections in Delta State, now scheduled for 11th March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant.”

Therefore, Taiwo in his Judgment, granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff except relief four, which sought the prohibition, inhibition, prevention or otherwise restraining Oborevwori from holding out, parading and or advertising himself as the candidate of the PDP for the forthcoming Gubernatorial elections in Delta State scheduled to hold on 11th March, 2023 by the 3rd Defendant.

Meanwhile, in its first reaction to the court judgment, the PDP said it was already studying the judgment and enjoined stakeholders not to panic, saying, there was no cause for alarm.

Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza said, “Delta State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has received the judgement of an Abuja Federal High Court, against our Gubernatorial Candidate for the 2023 general elections, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on the grounds of discrepancies in his documents.
“We have already engaged our team of legal experts to critically study the ruling and explore grounds on which we can confidently approach the Court of Appeal.
“We want to therefore enjoin our teeming supporters and loyal party faithful to remain calm, unperturbed, and law-abiding, and assure them that we are quite confident in our conviction, that justice will be done and we will get judgement at the Appellate Court. There is no cause for alarm.

But Edevbie’s Media Campaign Director, Fred Edoreh, last night, expressed delight that the court in Abuja “granted all the prayers” of their principal, adding that Delta was happy that justice was served in the interest of democracy in the country.

“The Plaintiff, Olorogun David Edevbie proved his case against the fraud perpetuated by Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori beyond all reasonable doubt,” he said.
This, nonetheless, there was disquiet in the camp of Oborevwori yesterday, when news of the verdict of the Abuja court filled the airwaves in Asaba and other parts of the state.

No one was initially ready to volunteer any official comment on the judicial twist of fate.

Eventually, Oborevwori, last night, appealed for calm among his supporters while thanking them for the steadfastness in reposing confidence in him.
Oborevwori, who spoke through his press secretary, Dennis Otu, in a statement mailed to THISDAY in Asaba at about 9.30pm yesterday, said he would appeal the judgment and advised his supporters “to remain calm”.

The statement stated. “I wish to appeal to all my supporters, political associates and  well wishers to remain calm and law abiding over the Judgement of the Federal Court. There is no need to panic, all is well. We will certainly appeal the Judgement and so let us maintain the peace as all hope is not lost. All is well and it will end in praise to the Glory of God Almighty.

“The courts have always been part of our democratic experience, and our confidence in the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man is unwavering. So, as we embark on the appeal process, our supporters and indeed Deltans should kindly note and rest assured that Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Orhowedor Oborevwori, remains the gubernatorial flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State for the 2023 general election. The Sherrification Movement is well and alive and, by God’s grace, we shall overcome.”