Why Supreme Court affirmed Oborevwori as PDP governorship candidate in Delta

Post created on 12:02 pm

After a series of legal fireworks, the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Sherrif Oborevwori has finally been affirmed as the legitimate candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the forthcoming governorship election in Delta State.

The Supreme Court, on Friday, pronounced Oborevwori as the eligible governorship candidate of the PDP in the state.

Here are the yardsticks upon which the apex court affirmed the PDP candidate.

In a unanimous decision by a five-man panel led by Justice Amina Augie, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal that was lodged against Oborevwori by an aggrieved governorship aspirant of the PDP in the state, David Edevbie.

According to the Supreme Court, Edevbie’s appeal was lacking in merit.

In its judgement, the apex court held that allegations the Appellant raised before it was rooted in criminality and therefore ought to be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

It noted that because of “sundry allegations of fraud, false representation and forgery of documents” raised against Oborevwori, the Appellant, ought to have commenced his action through a Writ of Summons that would have allowed the trial court to adjudge the matter through oral and documentary evidence.

It held that Edevbie’s allegations against Oborevwori could not be resolved through affidavit evidence or Originating Summons.

More so, the apex court, held that Edevbie’s case was premature as PDP had not submitted Oborevwori’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC before he filed the suit.

“Only upon the submission of particulars of a candidate to INEC by a political party will a cause of action crystallize.”

[Vanguard]