A’Court to rule on Airiavbere’s appeal against Oshiomhole

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN—THE Court of Appeal sitting in Benin, yesterday, reserved judgment in the appeal filed by Edo State People’s Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in the July 14 governorship election, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, challenging the qualification of Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, to contest the election in the state.

It will be recalled that the petitioner had gone to the appellate court after the lower tribunal declared that the issue of Oshiomhole’s qualification was a pre-election matter.

The appellant, Gen. Airhiavbere, in his appeal, is seeking a declaration that the issue of qualification was a matter which the election petitions tribunal should assume jurisdiction, while the ACN candidate, Governor Oshiomhole, filed a counter appeal seeking to quash the remaining reliefs sought by the appellant at the Tribunal, on the grounds that the issue of qualification had already been determined by the tribunal.