David Edevbie, former chief of staff to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and former Governor James Ibori's anointed governorship is in a legal battle with the state House of Assembly speaker, Sheriff Oborevwori over the party’s governorship ticket for the 2023 election.
Palpable fear has gripped the two factions of the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the Supreme Court is set to rule on the party's governorship ticket on Friday (today).
David Edevbie, former chief of staff to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and former Governor James Ibori's anointed governorship is in a legal battle with the state House of Assembly speaker, Sheriff Oborevwori over the party’s governorship ticket for the 2023 election.
Edevnie had taken the state House of Assembly Speaker, Sheriff Oborevwori, who is Governor Okowa's anointed governorship candidate to court, challenging the victory of Oborevwori at the party's primary election and alleged submission of forged credentials by the Speaker.
A federal high court in Abuja presided by Justice Taiwo Taiwo on July 7, 2022, upheld Edevbie’s claims and voided Oborevwori’s nomination.
The court subsequently directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Edevbie as the authentic PDP governorship candidate in the state for the 2023 elections.
The Appeal Court however took a different position. A three-man panel of the Court of Appeal set aside the sacking of Oborevwori as the PDP candidate in the 2023 governorship election in the state.
The panel led by Justice Peter Ige set aside Oborevwori’s sacking on the grounds that the lower court erred in law in reaching the conclusion that Oborevwori was not qualified to participate in the governorship primary election of the party on account of forgery and perjury.
Oborevwori had emerged winner of the governorship primary election held on March 25 after polling 590 votes.
Not satisfied with the verdict of the appellate court, Edevbie approached the Supreme Court to set aside the judgement and uphold the judgement of the federal high court, Abuja.
After entertaining submissions from both parties through their lawyers in the appeal filed by Edevbie, the Supreme Court’s five-member panel headed by Justice Amina Augie reserved judgement for Friday, October 21, 2022.
Following the development, members of PDP in the state have created two factions, one pitching its tent with Edevbie and the other taking sides with Oborevwori.
At the time of filing this report, SaharaReporters observed that serious tension had gripped the state with members of the PDP’s state working committee (SWC), House of Assembly members, candidates from all levels, top government officials as well as supporters, friends, well-wishers and party members from both camps on Thursday stormed the nation's capital ahead of the ruling of the apex court.
SaharaReporters learnt that this led to the occupation of many hotel accommodations in Asaba, the state capital.