By DADA AYOKHAI
The crisis in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP , in Edo State is far from over as the Obaseki group has approached the Appeal Court for the reversal of its earlier judgment.
The Appeal Court had on November 23 delivered a judgment in the appeal filed by the Chief Dan Orbih faction, otherwise known as the “Legacy Group”, in which they sought to upturn an earlier judgment by the Federal High Court, Benin, delivered on September 27, which favoured the Obaseki group.
Justice Tunde Oyebamiji Awotoye, JCA, who read the unanimous judgment of the three justices of the Court did not hesitate to set aside the previous judgment of the Federal High Court, Benin, after declining jurisdiction due to the incomplete transmission of the records of the previous judgment to the Appeals Court.
However, in a surprise twist of events, which has compelled watchers of the unfolding legal drama to raise eyebrows, the Obaseki faction instead of approaching a higher court for a reversal returned to the same Court of Appeal seeking it to upturn its judgment on the same issue.
According to the group, they believe that the Justices of the Appeal Court mistakenly struck out the High Court judgment instead of the appeal sought for ty the Orbih group.
Mr. Harrison Omagbon the vice chairman of the party, did not waste time in suspecting foul play in the legal actions of the Obaseki group.
He later issued a strongly-worded press statement in which he drew the attention of the members of the public to the shenanigans of the Obaseki group.
In the press statement, Mr. Omagbon raised five critical posers bordering on “clandestine acts to ridicule the judiciary” and called on the lovers of democracy to take notice of the “ugly developments”.
He noted, “Certain elements and the enemies of democracy have been putting pressure on the Federal Court of Appeal officials in Benin to change its already delivered judgment on November 22nd in favour of the Gov Obaseki candidates. Several comments and messages have been making the rounds on social media, exposing the threats, boasts, and claims that hefty sums of money set aside for the purpose will soon be deployed to reverse the very sound legal position of the Court.
“It is pertinent to state that all parties to the suit have been given the certified true copies of the ruling and no alterations can be made to them without repercussions”.
Omagbon called on those involved in the diabolical schema to desist forthwith as doing so will be tantamount to trying to “rubbish the judiciary”, which he said is the last hope of the common man.
He also advised anyone who is aggrieved by the timely decision of the court to seek redress in a higher court instead of going round in circles and resorting to the “more dangerous” move of asking an appellate court to sit over its own judgment.
