Apc Committee Disqualifies Obaseki, Others From Edo Gov Primary Election As Gov. Vows Not To Appeal His Disqualification

By The Nigerian Voice

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has been disqualified from participating in the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the forthcoming governorship poll in Edo State. He was declared unfit to contest in the exercise to choose the APC’s flagbearer along with two others by the party’s Screening Committee.

The chairman of the committee, Professor Jonathan Ayuba, announced this on Friday at the National Secretariat of the ruling party in Abuja, the nation’s capital. He made the announcement while briefing the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and other party chieftains on the outcome of the screening exercise.

“We have screened six aspirants; three were deemed eligible to participate and three were found ineligible to participate,” Ayuba told party leaders at the briefing. He explained that Governor Obaseki was disqualified on the grounds that his HSC and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates were “defective”.

According to the committee chairman, the team took the decision to disqualify and clear aspirants based on some references and documents. Meanwhile, the governor has rejected the outcome of the screening exercise, saying he would not appeal his disqualification by the committee.

In a statement by his spokesman, Crusoe Osagie, Governor Obaseki described the exercise as a mockery of the democratic process. The governor noted that he had initially asserted that there was no way that he would get a fair assessment in the run-up to the nomination of the party’s flagbearer in the September 19 poll.

“We have, therefore, decided that it would be an effort in futility to appeal whatever the unjust outcome of the evaluation and screening process of the APC will be, especially when Comrade Oshiomhole has declared that he is the Supreme Court and ultimate determiner of the fate and future of our great party,” he alleged.

Governor Godwin Obaseki has said that he will not appeal his disqualification from participating in the governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) slated for June 22.

The governor in a statement by his media aide, Crusoe Osagie, said it is needless filing an appeal when the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole has carefully orchestrated the move from the beginning.

While calling on his supporters to be calm, he urged them to wait for further directives.

“We have watched the mockery of democratic process, which Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is administering and superintending over in our great party the All Progressives Congress (APC). It has been an unfortunate, disheartening and dreadful spectacle.

“We had initially asserted that going by the open display and enthronement of illegality by one man in the party that comprises several organs and eminent personalities, there is no way that Governor Godwin Obaseki would get a fair assessment in the run-up to the nomination of candidates to fly the flag of the party in the forthcoming Edo gubernatorial election.

“It is unfortunate that this open show of shame, illegality and travesty of justice is the brand of democracy which Comrade Oshiomhole has reduced the APC into. The situation is quite saddening because this is a party supposedly reputed for change, equity and social justice”

We have therefore decided that it would be effort in futility to appeal whatever the unjust outcome of the evaluation and screening process of the APC will be, especially when Comrade Oshiomhole has declared that he is the Supreme Court and ultimate determiner of the fate and future of our great party.

We wish Oshiomhole luck in his maladministration of the party and trust that the Almighty will help our country to find the path to true liberty, freedom and justice.

We call on all party members and the teeming supporters of Governor Obaseki to remain calm and await further directives.