Edo Governorship: Court joins PDP in case filed by Ize-Iyamu

An Abuja High Court on Tuesday joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a defendant in a suit filed by Osagie Ize-Iyamu, an Edo State PDP governorship aspirant.

Mr. Ize-Iyamu is the candidate chosen by a faction of the PDP led by Ahmed Makarfi to contest in the Sept 10 governorship election.

He had earlier filed a suit challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) alleged attempt to substitute him with another candidate.

Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, the presiding judge granted Mr. Ize-Iyamu’s application by joining PDP as the defendant in the suit.

Mr. Adeniyi said that there was merit in the application that requested that PDP be joined in the suit.

He ordered Mr. Ize-Iyamu’s Counsel, Chidi Aninwoya, to include the PDP in his briefs as the 2nd defendant in the suit.

Mr. Adeniyi adjourned till Aug. 17 to rule on the application by Matthew Iduoriyekemwen’s, who was chosen by the Ali Sherif’s faction of the party, seeking to be joined in the suit.

Mr. Aninwoya, earlier urged the court to refuse Mr. Iduoriyekemwem’s application seeking to be joined in the suit.

He said Mr. Iduoriyekemwem was not a necessary applicant in the suit as presently constituted.

Ajibola Oluyede, Counsel to Mr. Iduoriyekemwem, told the court that it was important that his client be brought into the matter because they could be affected later on.

Mr. Oluyede told the court that Mr. Ize-Iyamu had conceded that there are disputes in the reliefs sought in his originating summons.

“They conceded that there is something to fight over,’’ Mr. Oluyede said.

The INEC’s Counsel Ibrahim Mohammed, did not oppose the application that joined PDP in the suit. (NAN)