Follow Us on Google
Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
A Benin High Court has adjourned till Friday, June 19, hearing in a suit seeking to restrain the All Progressives Congress (APC) from recognizing Osagie Ize-Iyamu as an aspirant in the party’s governorship primary election scheduled for Monday, June 22.
Justice Emmanuel Ahamioje, the presiding judge who gave the defendants 24 hours to file their response, subsequently adjourned hearing until June 19.
The court had earlier refused to grant an ex parte application seeking to restrain the APC from recognising Osagie Ize-Iyamu as an aspirant in the party’s governorship primaries.
The suit instituted in the court by Kenneth Asekomhe, the state factional deputy chairman of the party, Benjamin Oghumu, Mathew Ogbebor and Unweni Nosa, is challenging the membership waiver granted to Ize-Iyamu.
But the defendants in the suit – APC, National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, and Osagie Ize-Iyamu – are saying the court has no jurisdiction to meddle in the internal affairs of the party.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, counsel to the first and second defendants Victor Ohiosumua told newsmen that they were supposed to take their first and second preliminary objections and then take the originating summons itself together.
‘But unfortunately, as we were moving for the first and second preliminary objections, we were just served today by the Clerk and the rules of court is very clear on the subject that we need time to file our response; because of that the case could not go on today,’ he explained.
