Court stops Obaseki from taking part in PDP primary

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Obaseki: court stops his participation from PDP primary

Governor Godwin Obaseki has been stopped by a Federal High Court from participating in the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The primary election is scheduled for 25 June.

The ban order was given 22 June by Justice E.A. Obile of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.

It was based on a motion ex parte filed by a PDP member, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama.

Joined in the suit are Prince Uche Secondus, the PDP, Independent National Electoral Commission, chairman of the party screening committee, Kingsley Chinda and other members of the committee.

Obaseki, an APC renegade, was named as the eighth defendant in the case.

The applicant is seeking a court order to restrain Secondus and the party from allowing Obaseki to buy the forms for the primary, other than those who bought the forms within the timetable initially published for the election.

Justice Obile granted the interim injunction as requested.

The PDP, mindful of the legal minefield announced a waiver for Obaseki, to enable him to participate in the primary election, even though he joined the party only on Friday 19 June last week.

The party also reconvened the Chinda screening committee which had ended its assignment on 5 June

The committee specially screened Obaseki on Saturday 20 June.

All the parties in the case were to be served via substituted means.

Substantive hearing in the case has been adjourned till Wednesday 24 June.