Appeal Court sacks Edo’s APC Lawmaker

THE Court of Appeal sitting in Benin in a unanimous decision has removed the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Ovia South West Constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Sunday Aghedo The appellate Court declared Mr. Godwin Adenomo also of the APC the winner of the general election into the Ovia South- West constituency of Edo State House of Assembly held on 11, April 2015. In the judgment delivered by Justice Moore Asiemo Adumein, the appellate court also set aside the part of the judgment of the lower court the primary election conducted by the APC held on the 2, December 2014 for nominating the party’ candidate for the general election held on 11, April 2015 into the Ovia South – West constituency of Edo State House of Assembly. It also granted additional reliefs soughted by the respondent as contained in paragraphs 16 (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (h) and (I) granted in the judgment of the trial court as well as that of his reliefs in his further amendment statement of claims filed on 20, November 2015. The court awarded the sum of N100,000.00 against the appellant. It would recalled that Mr Godwin Adenomo scored the highest votes cast at the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the nomination of its candidate for Ovia South- West constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly scoring 152 votes against 140 scored by Mr Sunday Aghedo. His opponent’s name was forwarded as the party’s candidate for the election and the three man appeal panel set up by the party to look into his complaint upheld the decision of the party. Dissatisfied with the decision of the party’s appeal panel, Adenomo had dragged the APC and the primary election Committee to court over imposition of the sacked lawmaker as the winner of the party primaries to the State House of Assembly in 2014. He said he won the primaries but was denied the party’s ticket which was given to Aghedo The Federal High Court sitting in Benin in its judgement ordered the APC to conduct a fresh primary for the position but Adenomo rejected the ruling and headed for the appellate court. Aghedo not satisfied with the lower court’s judgment which set aside the decision of the party’s appeal panel and also invalidated the primary election conducted on 2, December 2014 and his election held on 11, April 2015, headed to the Appeal court for redress. Both the plaintiff and 1st defendant in the lower court,Godwin Adenomo and Sunday Aghedo filed separate appeals against the decision of the trial court.