A Federal High Court in Benin on Wednesday disqualified Mr. Osaro Obaze,as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Oredo East state Constituency in the March 9, State Houses of Assembly election.
Justice Damilola Ajayi ruled that Mr. Ekhosuehi Aiguobahi is the rightful candidate of the APC for the election.
Aiguobahi had dragged the APC and Obaze to Court,asking it to declare him the rightful candidate for the election.
The trial judge ruled that Ekhosuehi won last year primary of the party and therefore remains the rightful candidate for the March 9 election.
Obaze, had initially signified his intention to run for the Oredo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives but was prevailed upon by the party leaders to step down for the Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Mr. Osaigbovo Iyoha and go for the House of Assembly.
Reacting to the judgment, Osaro Obazee, said he remain the legitimate candidate of the party for the election.
“My name is with INEC and all the processes were duly completed. The truth is that it is a party affair and the candidate is the property of the party and they will also respond to it.
“I was going for the house of representative but the party appealed to me to go to the house of assembly. I followed the due process, I picked the form, I was screened by the party and I went into the contest and I emerged successful. That is the extent that I know.
“I do not know where (my challenger) got his result that made him winner. The INEC form was given to me as the candidate that won the party’s primary elections”, he said.
Obaze therefore appealed to the party members and his supporter to come out enmasse and vote for him during the election, saying that he will appeal the judgement.
On its part, the APC, said Obaze remains the party’s candidate for the constituency in the election.
Speaking with journalists, the spokesman of the party, Mr. Chris Azebamwan, said that the party has opted for a legal option to ensure that Obaze flies its flag come Saturday, March 9.
“We have therefore, instructed our legal team to appeal the said judgment. For the avoidance of doubt, we hereby re-affirm Hon.Osaro Obaze as the candidate of the APC in Oredo East constituency,”.
