Judiciary
GOVERNOR Godwin Obaseki has secured another win against his detractors as a Federal High Court seating in Benin City, on Monday dismissed a suit brought against him by African Action Congress, AAC.
The AAC is challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Governor Godwin Obaseki over the guber election in Edo State.
AAC alleged that its candidate’s name did not appear on the ballot paper used in the conduct the Saturday, September 19, 2020, governorship election in Edo State.
Ruling on whether the court has jurisdiction to treat the case, Justice Demi Ajayi-George held that the court could only use the claim of the plaintiffs/respondent to determine its jurisdiction on the matter.
According to the judge, the plaintiff was not vigilant enough as they should have filed their suit within the 14 days time limit stipulated by the electoral law.
Ajayi-George said that since the plaintiff said that the INEC refused to accept the forms of the its candidate on two different occasions, the 6th and 8th of July, 2020, they should have immediately filed their suit in court as it is statue barred and not wait until July 29, 2020, before doing so.
She, however, dismissed the suit for being caught in the web of statue barred. She awarded N100,000 as costs for damages to the defendants.
This ruling is coming on the heels of an Abuja High Court’s dismissal of a certificate forgery suit against Obaseki by the All Progressives Congress APC and Osagie Iza-Iyamu, its candidate.
– Jan. 19, 2021 @ 2:08 GMT /
Tags: African Action Congress GOVERNOR Godwin Obaseki How Obaseki defeated AAC in court Justice Demi Ajayi-George Osagie Iza-Iyamu
