2023 PDP Delegates List: Thugs Invade Court of Appeal, Benin Judicial Division, Cart Away Documents

As NBA Benin Branch Condemns the Invasion of Court of Appeal

There was breakdown of law and order at the Court of Appeal in Benin City late Friday as suspected thugs allegedly supported by persons in security outfit uniforms, invaded the courtroom, chased away court workers and carted away several court documents.

It was gathered that some lawyers had approached the Appellate court to file an appeal arising from a judgment of the State High Court on issues relating to the crisis rocking the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state as it concerns whose faction of the party loyal to the governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki and the Vice-Chairman, South-South of the party, Chief Dan Orbih have the authentic delegates list to participate in the party’s primary elections.

A lawyer who does not want is name in print for security reasons said he was shuttling between a business centre in Akpakpava and the Appeal Court which is temporarily operating from a section of the Edo State High Court premises along Sapele Road as a result of the rehabilitation work going on its permanent premises in Aduwawa area of Benin City when the incident happened.

He said “There was an injunction against the PDP faction led by Dan Orih and Ogbeide-Ihama recognising the delegates from Obaseki as the authentic delegates for the purpose of the congress of the PDP primary elections.

“They retained our services and we quickly swung into action and we were at the court to file necessary documents because the state high court had refused to join us as interested parties and then went ahead to give the ruling.

“We went to the Court of Appeal which granted our application to be joined. They now directed that we should compile and transmit our records; file all the papers we needed to file so that they can hear us on Monday in the main appeal. That was what we were doing when suspected thugs and uniformed men came into the courtroom and chased away the staff. One of my staff was carried away in their bus because she refused to surrender the documents with her to the suspected thugs. She had to release the documents to save her life”

Meanwhile, in a statement by the Pius Oiwoh Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Benin Branch (the Lion Bar), strongly condemns the sacrilegious invasion of the Court of Appeal, Benin Division, by gunmen this evening, who harassed, assaulted, and stopped court workers from performing their jobs.

“According to court employees/staff who fled for their lives, these gunmen whisked away a lawyer, causing chaos on the grounds.”

“This crime is abhorrent, heartless, and savage, and it must not be tolerated anywhere, especially in our beloved Edo State, which has no history of pollution of the temple of Justice.”

“We therefore demand that the security agencies find those responsible for this diabolical and barbaric invasion of our court and bring them to justice.”