A High Court of Justice in Ekpoma, Edo state has restrained the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from removing, excluding, preventing or purporting to exclude Governor Godwin Obaseki and any of the cleared aspirants from participating in the PDP governorship primary slated for Thursday, June 25.

The court ordered that the PDP and INEC must not exempt any of the aspirants who have been cleared by the party.

Earlier in the day, one of the aspirants, Omoregie Ogbeide Ihama, approached the Federal High court in Port Harcourt, praying the court to issue an order barring Godwin Obaseki from participating in the governorship primary. Iyama argued that only those who purchased the governorship forms within the stipulated time should be allowed to participate in the primary election. He insists he will not be stepping down for Governor Obaseki.

The court adjourned the case to tomorrow June 24 for hearing.

Obaseki resigned from APC on June 16 and joined the PDP on June 19. He was given a waiver and allowed to purchase the party’s governorship form and join the race for the party’s governorship ticket.

Obaseki lost the APC governorship ticket to Osagie Ize-Iyamu following his long-standing faceoff with the party National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole.