Court disqualifies Delta PDP guber candidate, Sheriff Oborevwori

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has disqualified Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the candidate of the Delta State Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) for the 2023 governorship race, over discrepancies in his certificates.

The court also restrained Oborevwori who is the speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and anointed candidate of the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, from parading himself as the candidate of the PDP for the Delta 2023 governorship election.

In a judgement that was delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, held that Oborevwori lacked the legal competence to participate in the election.

The verdict followed a suit that was brought before the court by a former commissioner for finance, Olorogun David Edevbie, who is the anointed candidate of former governor James Ibori against Oborevwori’s candidacy.

The judge subsequently directed INEC and the PDP to recognize the plaintiff (Edevbie) as candidate of the PDP in the 2023 governorship election in Delta State.

Oborevwori, had emerged candidate of the PDP in the May 25 primary election of the PDP for the selection of its governorship flag bearer.

However, Edevbie, who came second in the primary had contended Oborevwori’s participation in the primary on the grounds of alleged discrepancies in his academic qualifications as well as his age.

The Plaintiff had among other things, contended that the Defendant was not validly nominated by his party.

He told the court that PDP violated both its constitution and the Electoral Guidelines, during its state congress that produced Oborevwori as its flagbearer for the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

Consequently, the Plaintiff, prayed the court to restrain the party from forwarding Oborevwori’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and to also restrain the electoral body from receiving or recognising him as the duly nominated candidate of s the party for the election. More so, the Plaintiff, sought an order to restrain Oborevwori from parading or carrying himself as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state.Also cited as Defendants in the matter were the PDP and INEC.Meanwhile, in his judgement on Thursday, Justice Taiwo held that the suit was meritorious.He accordingly granted the reliefs against Oborevwori