Barely 24 hours to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial primary in Edo State, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has boosted the chances of state governor, Godwin Obaseki, to emerge as the party’s standard bearer for the September election.
The court has struck out the suit filed by an aspirant, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, seeking to stop Obaseki from participating in Thursday’s PDP governorship primaries in the state.
In a ruling on Wednesday, the presiding Judge, Justice E. O. Obile, struck out the matter following the submission of counsels to the parties mentioned in the case.
Before the ruling, counsel to the plaintiff, D. C. Denwigwe, had in an oral application during resumption of the hearing on Wednesday, informed the court that the parties in the suit had resolved the matter.
He said their clients have settled and have directed their counsels to withdraw the case, apologised to the court for the inconveniences and urged that the matter be struck-out based on the oral prayers.
Emmanuel Enoidem, Counsel for the 1st defendant, Uche Secondus and 3rd to the 7th defendant, counsel for the 2nd defendant, Higher King and Counsel for the 8th and 9th defendants, Alex Ejesiema, also concurred to the motion.
After the court proceedings, PDP’s National Legal Adviser, Emmanuel Enoidem, in an interview with newsmen said that they agreed that the party must be united.
Alex Ejesiema, Obaseki’s lawyer on his part, said they were prepared for it and that there was no more obstruction for the governor to contest.
Ogbeide-ihama had filed a suit in the court asking it to prevent any member of the party that has purchased forms but not screened within the time stipulated to contest the PDP primary.
