Edo Election: Court Adjourns Hearing in Suit Seeking to Stop Ize-Iyamu

Edo State High Court in Benin-city on Wednesday adjourned hearing till June 19 in the suit seeking to restrain the All Progressives Congress (APC) from recognising Osagie Ize-Iyamu as an aspirant in the party's governorship primary election scheduled for June 22, 2020. ‎ Justice Emmanuel Ahamioje, the presiding judge, who gave the defendants 24 hours to file their response, subsequently adjourned the matter till June 19. Recall that the court had earlier refused to grant exparte application seeking to restrain the APC from recognising Ize-Iyamu as an aspirant in the party's governorship primary election scheduled for June 22. The suit instituted in the court by the state factional Deputy Chairman of the party, Kenneth Asekomhe; Benjamin Oghumu, Mathew Ogbebor and Unweni Nosa is challenging the membership waiver granted to Ize-Iyamu. But the defendants in the suit, APC, 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 yesterday, counsel to the first and second defendants, Victor Ohiosumua, told journalists 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, which 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, and because of that, the case could not go on today," he said.