News Obiaks News

A Federal High Court sitting in Benin yesterday nullified the election of a member representing Ovia South West in the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), Mr Sunday Aghedo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The presiding judge of the court, Justice Mohammed Lima, ordered a fresh primary within the APC and also a fresh general election. Lima ordered that the entire process be concluded within 90 days. Aghedo and the APC were joined in a suit by

Mr Godwin Adenomo who claimed that he was the rightful winner of the APC primary conducted on December 2, 2014. Adenomo had approached the court with a prayer that he be declared the winner of the House of Assembly elections as conducted across the federation on April 11, 2015, having won the party primary.

While reacting to the judgement by Justice Lima, the lawyer to Adenomo, Mr Kingsley Obamogie, said his client would appeal the
judgement.

“My client won the primary and a certificate of return was issued him and as such, he won the election as conducted on April 11,
2015. Even the judge affirmed that Godwin Adenomo won the primary but wondered why he was not given the ticket and said that the man there has no locus reason to be there at all".

The judge went further to say that it was very unfortunate that the party (APC) would engage in self-destruct by not adhering to the principle of democracy even after both parties agreed that the primary was free and fair. It is on this ground that we are appealing the judgement with a prayer that
my client be declared the winner of the poll,” he stated.

Adenomo who also spoke with newsmen described the victory as a step towards the right direction and also wondered why he was not outrightly declared the winner of the April poll.