APC asks Chief Judge to transfer Ize-Iyamu’s suits, says Judge close to Wike

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho to transfer two suits filed against the candidacy of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in the September 19, 2020 governorship election in Edo State from Justice Taiwo Taiwo.

The party made the request in a petition to Justice Tsoho, alleging that it would not get justice from Justice Taiwo because of his alleged strong affinity with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who belongs to the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In the petition signed by its National Secretary, John Akpanudoedehe and dated August 20, 2020, the party alleged that Wike had openly boasted that he would do everything to ensure that the PDP won the Edo State governorship election.

Aside the alleged affinity between Justice Taiwo and Wike, the APC also expressed doubts about the judge’s impartiality in the handling of the cases so far.

The party stated: “That on August 10, 2020, when Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/758/2020 came up for mention, the learned judge, suo motu, abridged the time allowed by law for the defendants to respond, even when some of the defendants have not been served with the originating processes, by fixing the matter for August 24, 2020, for hearing and that responses must be filed before then.

“That at the time the learned judge made the said order, a motion on notice to abridge time was pending before the court which had not been served on all parties.”

According to the APC, it had no confidence that it would get justice before Justice Taiwo Taiwo “and therefore humbly request that the said matters be transferred to any other vacation Judge in the Federal Capital Territory.”