Tony Okonigene, a member of the Edo State PDP Executive Council, expressed concerns about the assignment of the case against the Edo State primary and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, to Justice Ekwo's court. He alleged that they immediately wrote to the Nigeria Judicial Council upon learning about Justice Ekwo's involvement, citing premonitions about the direction of the judgment.
Okonigene discussed the internal conflicts within their party, particularly the battles between the Dan Orbih faction and the Obaseki faction in 2023. He pointed out that victories obtained by the Dan Orbih faction consistently came from Justice Ekwo's court, despite similar issues being overturned by higher courts previously. He emphasized that the appeal court had ruled that delegates could not sue aspirants, a decision at odds with Justice Ekwo's rulings favoring Dan Orbih.
( Photo credit : Arise Television Official Facebook Page )
Speaking on Arise TV, Okonigene explained their lack of surprise regarding the judgment's outcome, highlighting the history of decisions from Justice Ekwo's court favoring one faction despite higher court precedents. His remarks underscored their concerns about the fairness and impartiality of the judicial process in handling their case.
In his own words, he remarked, "If I tell you that we are surprised about the outcome of that judgment, then I would be lying. If you have been following the trends, you will know why this particular judgment did not surprise us. The moment this case was taken to Justice Ekwo's Court, we wrote to the NJC stating our concerns about Justice Ekwo's involvement in this case."
He further elaborated on the history of conflicts within the party and how decisions from Justice Ekwo's court seemed to favor one faction consistently, despite higher court precedents against similar claims. His remarks underscored their reservations about the fairness and impartiality of the judicial process in their case.
Click on the link below and watch the video starting from 7:03 minute mark
https://youtu.be/NZDWgVQevh8?si=XlsVioq-D8cpZkxG