Edo Politics: Court Adjourns Sitting On Suit Against Ize-Iyamu, Others

An Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City has adjourned the hearing of the suit challenging Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Emmanuel Ahamiojie fixed June 17 for the definite hearing of the suit in a ruling on Thursday in the state capital.

Ize-Iyamu, who contested the 2016 governorship election in Edo on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defected to the APC in November 2019.

Ahead of the September 19 governorship poll, Ize-Iyamu and incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki are aspiring to contest the poll on the platform of the ruling party.

However, a member of the APC, Kenneth Asekhome, filed a suit on behalf of himself and members of the party’s Executive Committee in the state against the national leadership of the APC, its National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and Pastor Ize-Iyamu.

In the suit filed at the State High Court, Asekhome and others are challenging the waiver granted to Ize-Iyamu to contest the APC primaries for the forthcoming governorship election.

They also asked the court to determine whether such a waiver granted to the third defendant, Pastor Ize-Iyamu, by Oshiomhole was not in violation of certain Sections of the APC Constitution.

After hearing the argument of counsels to the parties involved, Justice Ahamiojie fixed June 17 for definite hearing due to the urgency and importance of the matter.

Before Thursday’s sitting, there was tension around the court complex located on Sapele Road as traffic was redirected away from routes around the area.

Journalists were also barred from gaining access into the courtroom after being allowed into the premises, following an initial attempt to deny them entry into the complex.