Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Edo State, has hailed the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which on Saturday dismissed the certificate forgery allegation brought against him by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Governor Obaseki expressed his appreciation to the court in a statement issued on Saturday, hours after the verdict was delivered in his favour.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed, the presiding judge, dismissed the case filed by the APC and a chieftain of the party, Williams Edobor, against the governor.
According to the governor, who was re-elected for a second four-year term in September 2020, the judgement is a victory for the rule of law.
He claimed that “desperate individuals” tried to undo the will of the people but said justice and truth prevailed.
The statement read: “The verdict of the Federal High Court, delivered by Honourable Justice Ahmed Mohammed is well-received and a victory for the rule of law. It was a most needless attempt by desperate individuals trying to undo the will of the people through the backdoor but we are happy today that justice and truth have prevailed.”
Governor Obaseki also thanked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the people of the state for their support during the court travails.
The governor was initially elected on the platform of the APC in 2016, but was denied the party’s ticket for a second term in 2020 due to intra-party wrangling.
He later defected to the PDP and defeated Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the APC flagbearer and the anointed candidate of Adams Oshiomhole, the immediate past national chairman of the party, in the 2020 Edo State Governorship Election.
