We'll go to Supreme Court, says PDP as Appeal Court upholds Obaseki as governor
The Appeal Court sitting in Benin on Friday upheld the election of Governor Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress, APC and dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governorship candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The Election petition tribunal sitting in Benin, headed by Ahmed Badamasi had in April upheld Obaseki’s election as Governor of Edo as declared by the  Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).
The election was held on September 28, 2016.
The PDP candidate, Ize-Iyamu not satisfied by the verdict of the lower tribunal, filed an  appeal through his lawyers,  led by Yusuf Ali.
Counsel to both parties on May 30, argued their briefs, where Obaseki’s counsel led by Wole Olanipekun, urged the court to dismiss the appeal, saying that the grounds of the appeal were watery.
In the judgment read by Dongban-Mensem,  the five-man panel said  the tribunal did a painstaking job in considering evidences presented before it. This, he said,  made the job easy for them.
Dan Orbih, the Edo Chairman of the PDP said the party would not relent until it gets justice.
Orbih, in his reaction to the appeal court judgement, said it was too early for him to say what went wrong that the Appeal had to dismiss the case.
He said that the party was yet to get copies of the judgment, but expressed optimisms that the party had a good case.
“In view of this, after reading through the copies of the judgment when made available, i can assure you, we will take our case to the Supreme Court.â€
He however said that he had appealed to party faithful to remain calm and law abiding pending when the party will reclaim its stolen mandate.
In contrast, Anselm Ojezua, the Edo APC Chairman lauded the Appeal Court Judgment, saying it was instructive.
He therefore advised the PDP to embrace and accept the Appeal court judgment and join hands with the Obaseki-led administration to move the state forward.
Governor Obaseki hailed the judgment, saying that, his election was †Democracy in Actionâ€Â
He said that even at the Supreme Court, he would still be declared winner, noting that, he would not be distracted by the PDP appealing the case at the Supreme court.
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