In a recent court ruling by Justice Emeka Nwite, the complaint alleging forged certificates against Ewhrudjakpo was deemed meritless as the evidence failed to convincingly support the accusations.
Justice Nwite also directed the plaintiff to pay a fine of ₦500,000 to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the third party in the suit.
Just days before the Bayelsa gubernatorial elections set for November 11, 2023, a new complaint was lodged before Justice Nwite aimed at disqualifying Diri and Ewhrudjakpo.
Blessing Clement Azibanagbal, a Bayelsa resident, filed this complaint through her attorney Ifeanyi Nsowu on October 30, 2023. The case, identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/1448/23, sought an injunction for the removal of Diri and Ewhrudjakpo’s names from the PDP candidate list for the upcoming election. Additionally, she demanded a permanent injunction preventing INEC from publishing their names as party nominees.
The plaintiff argued that Ewhrudjakpo was not eligible to serve as deputy governor under the PDP banner. She maintained that Ewhrudjakpo could not be Diri’s running mate owing to the usage of different names without evidence of their shared identity. She also requested the court to invalidate the PDP’s candidate status for the election.
However, the PDP raised a preliminary objection stating the inadmissibility of the complaint. Diri and his deputy submitted a counterargument challenging this objection.
While delivering the verdict, Justice Nwite emphasized that the evidence provided by the plaintiff was insufficient to prove conclusively that Ewhrudjakpo’s certificates were forged. He referenced the Supreme Court’s ruling on the legal procedures for name changes.
Ultimately, the judge dismissed the complaint on grounds of lacking merit and instructed the complainant to compensate ₦500,000 to the PDP.
This legal proceeding underscores the significance of substantiating serious allegations and adhering to legal protocols during electoral disputes.