The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday said that it would await final outcome of court cases in deciding on the original Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the September 10 governorship election in Edo state.
The crisis in the opposition party led to the party fielding two candidates. While Osagie Ize-Iyamu emerged through the primary conducted by the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee, the Ali Modu Sheriff faction picked Mathew Iduoriyekwemwen as its candidate.
Iduoriyekwemwen contested in the election which produced Ize-Iyamu.
Speaking in an interview with NAN, Nick Dazang, INEC’s deputy director, voter education and publicity, said the commission will be guided by the court.
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“As at now, we have not received the certified true copy of the July 4 judgment of a federal high court, Port Harcourt, on the matter.
“We are waiting for that judgment and other judgments so that we can study them. The commission, after studying the judgment and the advice from its lawyers, will then take a position, but we are still waiting for the last judgment which was the one on July 4.
“It will be like from next week by the time we receive them and when the commission sits, a position will be taken. It is when the commission has done that that it will then decide on any faction or candidate it is going to accept.”
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Okon Abang, a justice of the federal high court, Abuja had on June 30, affirmed Sheriff as the PDP national chairman and ordered INEC to recognise any candidate presented by him.
But, a federal high court in Port Harcourt on July 4 held that the May 21 national convention that removed Sheriff as chairman and constituted the national caretaker committee was duly constituted.
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