Judge withdraws from suit seeking to disqualify Ize-Iyamu

The judge handling the suit challenging the emergence of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the September 19 governorship election in Edo has withdrawn from the case.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, recused himself from the case on Thursday over a petition filed against him by a lawyer in the APC legal team.

He has since sent the case file to the Chief Judge of the court, Justice John Tsoho, for reassignment to another judge.

One of the APC governorship aspirants, Charles Ude, had in July challenged the emergence of Ize-Iyamu as the party’s candidate for the election.

In a suit filed at the Abuja court, the plaintiff insisted that the emergence of Ize-Iyamu APC candidate in Edo State was unlawful.

He added that both the screening and primary election panels that cleared him for the election were not validly constituted.

READ ALSO: Presidency response an acceptance Ize-Iyamu is as corrupt as alleged —PDP

At Thursday’s sitting, Justice Taiwo decried the attempt by the unnamed lawyer to call his integrity to question and maliciously tarnish his image.

He said: “As judges and lawyers in the temple of justice, it is our duty to protect the integrity of the court and that of the judiciary.

“It is disturbing to receive a petition from a party in the suit seeking for the transfer of the case; the contents of the said petition are wicked and unsubstantiated.

“It is very disturbing that counsel would write this petition and even back it with an affidavit.”

He expressed regret that judges could not respond to petitions against them through the media.

The judge, however, maintained that he had no affiliation, personal or political with any of the parties in the case.

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