A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the interim from forwarding the name of Mr Sheriff Oborevwori to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as the INEC from receiving his name and acting in any manner recognising him as the flag bearer of the PDP for the Delta 2023 Governorship elections.
The court also restrained Oborevwori from parading himself as the candidate of the PDP for the Delta 2023 Governorship election.
The orders emerged from an Ex-parte Motion in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/715/2022 filed by Moses Ogbe and Timinepere Ogobiri of Patani LGA Ward 8 before His Lordship, Hon Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division on May 31, with the Peoples Democratic Party, the Independent National Electoral Commission and Francis Oborevwori as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants, respectively.
The plaintiffs according to documents tendered in the court attested that Oborevwori submitted credentials including an age declaration affidavit and academic certificates bearing different unreconciled names at different times.
The documents further showed alleged discrepancies and inconsistencies in claims made by Oborevwori in his nomination forms.
Oborevwori changed his name in a deed poll in 2011, however, his given old name did not match the name on his tendered age declaration of 1982.
After listening to Ibrahim Idris SAN, JD Jefia, Osita Alele and Sarafadeen Salimo for the plaintiffs, the court found that there were sufficient grounds to grant the interim injunction sought.
Accordingly, the court ordered the defendants to enter a defence within seven days of service to show cause why the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs should not be granted.
It also ordered the defendants not to do anything along the line of presenting or accepting Mr Oborevwori as the Delta PDP Governorship flag bearer nor Mr Oborevwori acting in such manner until the final determination of the matter by the court.
While the court also granted the plaintiff’s prayers for an accelerated hearing, the next date has been fixed for June 9.
After listening to Ibrahim Idris SAN, JD Jefia, Osita Alele and Sarafadeen Salimo for the plaintiffs, the court found that there were sufficient grounds to grant the interim injunction sought.
Accordingly, the court ordered the defendants to enter a defence within seven days of service to show cause why the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs should not be granted.
It also ordered the defendants not to do anything along the line of presenting or accepting Mr Oborevwori as the Delta PDP Governorship flag bearer nor Mr Oborevwori acting in such manner until the final determination of the matter by the court.
While the court also granted the plaintiff’s prayers for an accelerated hearing, the next date has been fixed for June 9.
It would be recalled that the PDP in Delta State has been enmeshed in serious crisis since the guber primaries produced Oborevwori as the party’s flagbearer.
Oborevwori who enjoyed the backing of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had defeated incumbent Senator representing Delta South, Senator James Manager and a former Commissioner of Finance, Olorogun David Edevbie who enjoyed the backing of former Governor James Ibori at the primaries held at the Stephen Keshi Stadium along Nnebisi Road, Asaba.
This endless political crisis has further polarised the PDP in Delta state along strong factional lines and divides with the majority of the party bigwigs and faithful expressing loyalty to former governor James Ibori.
These PDP bigwigs are reportedly accusing Governor Okowa of utmost disloyalty to Chief Ibori who made him politically from nowhere.
Recall that in the faraway United Kingdom, Chief Ibori had prevailed on the immediate past governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and many PDP faithful to allow Dr Okowa to fly the PDP gubernatorial ticket in 2015.
In 2019, Chief Ibori also reportedly kept to his words in backing Okowa.
But in return, Governor Okowa has, according to many PDP faithful, stabbed Chief Ibori and has declined to honour a gentleman’s agreement he reportedly reached among PDP elders and leaders led by Chief Ibori.
