PDP Petitions NJC, Demands Disciplinary Action Against Judge that Gave Order Restraining Obaseki From Participating In Edo Guber Primary Election

The Peoples Democratic Par­ty (PDP), has petitioned the National Judiciary Council (NJC), over an exparte order granted by Justice Emmanuel Adema Obile of the Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court restraining Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, from participating in the party’s gubernatorial primary election scheduled to hold on Thursday.

In the petition dated June 23, 2020 signed by Dakzel Longii Shamnas, the party accused Justice Obile of being used to do a hatchet job for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and requested for a disciplinary action against the Judge.

“The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court be advised to re­assign the suit to a Judge of the Federal High Court sitting at the Abuja Division of the court; and immediate disci­plinary action be commenced against Hon. Justice E.A. Obile of the Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court for invidiously assum­ing jurisdiction and taking sides in the political conflict in Edo State with a view to dis­rupting the political process” the party asked in its prayers.

PDP further argued that “the intention to deny the defendants fair hearing is also borne out of the fact that the plaintiff applied for and was granted substituted service of the pro­cesses of the court as well as abridgment of time”.

The orders were made on the 22nd day of June 2020, the primary election is coming up on the 25th day of June 2020, and the 30 days for the defen­dants to respond to suit was abridged to two days, thus the matter is coming up on the 24th day of June, 2020 while the primary election is hold­ing on the 25th day of June, 2020 leaving only one day for parties to take further legal steps.

“The defendants believe that the above actions, espe­cially the sweeping ex parte orders, are not mere errors of judgment but coldly pre­meditated moves aimed at denying the defendants fair hearing and pandering to the interest of politicians with all the devastating consequences for the polity,” the PDP said.

An aspirant, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihiama has filled a suit at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, where he asked for the disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki from the primary election of the PDP on the grounds that he procured his governorship election nomination and ex­pression of interest forms when the window for the sale of forms were closed.