The Supreme Court of Nigeria has declared the faction belonging to Edo state Governor Godwin Obaseki as authentic candidates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming general election for the state.
The judgment which arose from a consolidation of cases relating to the leadership tussle has put to rest anxiety as to the right persons to represent the party in the elections.
The crux of the matter is about who has the power in the primary election for the selection of party flag bearers for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.
Delivering judgment in the appeal filed by Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama and others against Mr. Mathew Iduoriyekemwen and others, the Apex court held that the case of the appellant was faulty as it did not emanate from the judgment of the appellate court.
In the appeal the appellants had sought a reversal of the judgment of the lower court claiming it erred in law when it failed to declare them rightful candidates of the PDP in the elections.
But the apex court in its judgment delivered by Justice Centus Nweze, dismissed the appeal on the grounds that it was incompetent.
According to the judgment, an appeal must be based on issues contended at the lower court to qualify for review.
The Apex court held that, “any ground of appeal that does not challenge issues raised at the lower court is incompetent. I enter judgment in favour of the respondents.”
Reacting to the judgment, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shuabu described it as ‘no winner no loser’, the judgment of the Supreme Court that recognized a faction belonging to Governor Godwin Obaseki as authentic candidates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming general elections.
N.O
