A’Court under pressure to change judgment

The Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State, on Monday, raised the alarm over a fresh plot by some persons to pressurise the officials of the Court of Appeal (Benin Division) to change its judgment delivered on November 22, 2022.

The party warned those behind the clandestine act, to desist forthwith, as such a despicable act was capable of bringing down the judiciary.

The Edo State Division of the Court of Appeal had thrown out the list of aspirants for political offices who aligned with Governor Godwin Obaseki in favour of candidates loyal to the group led by the PDP National Vice-Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih.

The Appellate Court also struck out an earlier suit which declared the Obaseki’s group candidates as the authentic candidates of the PDP because of the incomplete transmission of records which made the court not have jurisdiction over the appeal.

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The battle for control of the PDP apparatus in Edo State between Obaseki and Orbih took a different dimension when the two groups presented two different lists of aspirants to the Independent National Electoral Commission following parallel primaries.

But Deputy Chairman of PDP in Edo State, Harrison Omagbon, in a statement issued on Monday alleged that there were pressures of the Appellate Court to change the judgement.

He said, “This statement is for Edo State indigenes and the general public to take note. Information reaching us from reliable sources clearly indicates that:

“Certain elements and enemies of democracy have been putting pressure on the Federal Court of Appeal officials sitting in Benin City, to change its already delivered judgment of November 22, 2022, in favour of the ‘Governor Obaseki candidates’.

“Several comments and messages on social media have also exposed the boasts and threats of many of their supporters, that certain sums of money have been set aside and will be deployed this week to reverse the legal position.

“It is pertinent to note that all parties to the suit have been given certified true copies of the judgment, which cannot be altered.

“We call on all who are involved in this clandestine act, to desist forthwith, as such a despicable act is capable of bringing down the Judiciary. We must remember that the Judiciary is the last hope of the common man in Nigeria.

“We advise all affected by the judgment to take necessary legal steps to seek redress in areas of their disagreement. Asking the same court to reverse itself on a judgment given, will amount to the court sitting as an appellate court over its own judgment.

“We, therefore, call on all lovers of democracy as well as party faithful, to take note of this ugly development.”