Obaseki suffers setback as court throws out suit to stop Edo primary 

The political woes of the embattled Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, was compounded on Thursday following the decision of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin City to restrain itself from ruling on the interim injunction filed by the governor and his allies seeking to stop the APC from conducting its primary election in the state.

The High Court where Obaseki had hoped to get a temporary reprieve by bullying judicial officers and other stakeholders involved declared that it cannot rule on the matter given that an appeal has been filed against it, with the hearing set for Tuesday, 16th of June.

Additionally, and even more troubling for Obaseki and his co-travellers, the Federal High Court, Benin has warned the Governor and his allies that it will no longer entertain suits on the case. It ordered an immediate transfer of all court processes to the Court of Appeal for hearing in compliance with the application for stay of proceeding filed by the All Progressives Congress.

Contrary to previous hearings, the Federal High Court in Benin City witnessed less presence of security officials and mobilized thugs, an indication that the embattled Governor has accepted defeat and is now disinterested in the suit.

A mild drama took place in court during the hearing when an aide of the Governor, Adaze Ewata, was asked to be thrown out of the premises for unruly conduct after he stormed in, wearing jeans and shirt, claiming to be a lawyer, and began to rain insults on the lawyers seated.

According to our Benin correspondent, those present, the aide, like other members of the sinking Obaseki camp, appeared demoralized and greatly disturbed, and sought to vent his frustration on lawyers. For many of them, the writing on the wall is clear: the game is over.