The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the September 19, 2020 election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and his running mate, Alhaji Gani Audu, Monday morning emerged victorious at the Court of Appeal, Benin.
AfemaiReporters Recall that an Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin had nullified the candidacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC), deputy-governorship candidate, Audu Ganiyu Abudu, on the ground that he presented false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, while filling his Form EC9 to enable him to contest the September 19, 2020 governorship election in Edo State.
Justice Courage Ogbebor, gave the judgement in the case brought against Audu Ganiyu Abudu by the Plaintiff, Sunday Kadiri, from Agbede ward, in Etsako West Local Government Area (LGA) of Edo State, the same council area with Audu.
In the judgement, Justice Ogbebor nullified the candidacy of the governorship candidate of the APC, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the party’s deputy governorship candidate, Audu Ganiyu Abudu, in the September 19, 2020 election.
However, Delivery the judgement, the three-member panel of the appellate court set aside the judgment of the Edo High Court, Benin, which disqualified them from participating in the crucial election.
Appeal Court’s Justices O.F.Omoleye, B.A. Georgewill and O.E.Oho unanimously declared that there was no evidence of credentials’ forgery on the part of Audu.
The Judges also declared that the suit was statute-barred, since it was filed outside the 14-day constitutional threshold, thereby upholding the appeal of Ize-Iyamu and Audu, while setting aside the judgment of the Edo high court.