The battle for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has taken a legal dimension with a suit seeking to invalidate the declaration of Monday Okpebholo as winner of the primary.
In a suit filed before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, one of the aspirants, Anamero Dekeri is seeking the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC to recognise him as the lawful winner of the February 17, 2024, gubernatorial primary.
During the primary, Dekeri was declared winner by the local government returning officers for the 2024 Edo APC governorship primary.
The local government returning officer, Ojo Babatunde, who collated the results from the polling units, declared Dekeri the winner with 25,384 votes to defeat his closest rival, Dennis Idahosa, who scored 14,127 votes.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/299/2024, was filed on behalf of the aggrieved politician by his legal team, led by Joseph Nwobike and Henry Akunebo and 10 others.
He is urging the court to hold that the declaration of Monday Okpebholo as winner of the rescheduled primary for February 22, 2024, and as candidate of APC for the Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 20, 2024, is invalid, wrongful, and illegal as the same was done in brazen breach of the 1999 Constitution, Section 84(13) of the Electoral Act, 2022, as amended.
He cited the case of Ojukwu V. Military Governor Of Lagos State and Ors (1985) LPELR-21274 (CA) to remind INEC not to act against the law.
Meanwhile, some luminaries have claimed that Dekeri has a clear case since he was declared the winner by the local government returning officer, who was mandated by the party to collate and announce the results as the polling unit, while the main committee is just ceremonial.
Furthermore, political analysts said Dekeri has the support and war chest to win the governorship election against the opposition party, as many electorates see Dekeri as another Obidients Movement for Edo State.