Delta gov’ship: Appeal court sets aside Oborevwori’s disqualification as PDP candidate

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set aside the disqualification of Sheriff Oborevwori as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 Delta State governorship election.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on July 7 nullified Oborevwori’s nomination on grounds of certificate forgery and perjury brought by the party’s governorship aspirant, David Edevbie.

A three-member panel presided by Justice Peter Olabisi Ige on Monday held that the claims against Oborevwori were criminal in nature and must be proved beyond reasonable doubt.

The appellate court also held that Edevbie ought to have approached the high court through a writ of summons and not by originating summons where only affidavit evidence is required.

Justice Ige held that the suit said the high court did not disclose a cause of action having been filed prematurely as INEC had not published the name of the candidate.

The high court judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, had upheld Edevbie’s submission that Oborevwori supplied false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in aid of his qualification for the governorship election.

However, Edevbie, through one of his associates, said his lawyers were working on an appeal to the Supreme Court.