The Court of Appeal, sitting in Benin, has upheld the ruling of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal against the Action Democratic Party (ADP), reaffirming the victory of Governor Godwin Obaseki at the 2020 governorship election.
The appellate court, delivering the judgement in the case marked CA/B/EPT/GOV/01 & 1A/2021 Action Democratic Party & Anor v. INEC & 2Ors, held that Obaseki did not forge his certificates with which he contested the 2020 governorship election, dismissing the appeal filed by the ADP and its candidate.
In another case marked /B/EPT/GOV/02/2021 Action Peoples Party (APP) Vs Godwin N. Obaseki & 2Ors., the court unanimously upheld the verdict of the tribunal and dismissed the appeal with costs assessed at N600,000 each, on two different counts, as the governor won all eight issues for determination in the appeal.
Delivering the judgement in favour of the governor, the Presiding Justice, Hon. Justice M.A. Owoade, dismissed the main appeal, the preliminary objection and the cross appeal.
Owoade noted that the inclusion of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as respondents in the petition, was a ploy by Ize-Iyamu to fight his case through another petitioner.
