Why Supreme Court Cannot Disqualify Obaseki, Shaibu – PDP

The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to a warning by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state, Godwin Erahon, over possible nullification of candidacies of Governor Godwin Obaseki and his Deputy, Philip Shaibu by the Supreme Court.

The party in a statement by the state Publicity Secretary, Chris Osa Nehikare, said the apex court would have no basis to disqualify the Governor as he did not contest the APC primary election.

“We want to put it on record that the governor contested for the primary election on the platform of the PDP. He was unjustly disqualified from the APC primary and wasn’t even on the ballot during the poll.

“While on the converse, Uche Nwosu in Imo State was the factional candidate of the APC after the primary election. He was returned elected and only ran to Action Alliance after he was edged out of the contest. The Supreme Court in its rulling held that Nwosu had a valid ticket with the APC, which invalidated his candidacy in AA.

“Hence, whoever draws a parallel between these two cases is either incapable of rational thoughts or is outrightly out to deceive his paymasters, who apparently do not know better.

“We call on members of the public to disregard the resort to such lazy and defective thinking. Governor Obaseki is going to the polls with an unblemished ticket as against the candidate of the APC, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who has a multiplicity of legal booby traps planted by his party at the state and national levels” Nehikare said.