Confirm! The Appeal court has the final decision on the governorship primary of the APC in Edo
Edo 2020: APC gets go-ahead for direct governorship primary
Despite the internal crisis faced by the All Progressives Congress (APC), the head of the ruling, Edo state party was given the go-ahead to hold primary elections for governors.
According to The Nation, an appeals court sitting in Benin on Thursday, June 18, allowed the APC to use the direct primary system on Monday, June 22.
The court, in its ruling, overturned the Federal Supreme Court’s decision of June 8 that barred the AIC from holding primary elections for Governor of Edo state.
It was also reported that the Federal court was ordered to continue considering the claim, having previously determined jurisdiction.
Judge Morenike Ogunwomiju, who is presiding over the case in her lead decision, called the ruling by judge Mohammed Umar of the Federal Supreme Court problematic.
Ogunwomiju, who was supported by judge Sam Oseji, said the trial judge gave a problematic decision that was not requested by the parties to the lawsuit.
It was reported that the national working Committee headed by Oshima made a choice in favor of direct primary elections in the state. But Obaseki and his supporters responded that the party would not accept direct primary elections, since an indirect alternative is also allowed by the party’s Constitution.
Governor Obaseki, through his special adviser on media and communications strategy, Crusoe Osagie, stated that, following the security rules outlined by the presidential task force on COVID-19, only an indirect primary is appropriate for the state at present.
Speaking on Saturday, June 6, the APC, through its press Secretary Lanre Issa-Onila, said that the decision of the party’s National working Committee on the state could not be reversed.
Issa-Onilu said that the party is not ready to turn away from this path, since the direct mode of primaries will be used for the election of Huber in the state.
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However, the Federal High court in Benin city on Monday, June 8, issued a ruling prohibiting the APC and Oshiomhole from holding any primary elections in Edo state. According to the report, the decision will be made on Thursday, June 11, ahead of the Edo state Governor’s election.
In this regard, Governor Obaseki resigned from his post as a member of the ruling party.
The Edo Governor bowed out in style after holding talks with President muhammadu Buhari at the State house in Abuja on Tuesday, June 16.
The Governor’s resignation, followed by that of his Deputy, Philip Shaibu, followed a feud that put Obaseki on the warpath with his former godfather, Oshiomhole.
