Edo Guber: APC disqualifies Obaseki ahead of primaries as the Governor reacts

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced the disqualification of Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, from the June 22 primary election.

Recall that Obaseki had earlier raised an alarm, alleging that the APC chairman planned to announce his disqualification in a press conference.

However, shortly after the allegations were made, chairman of the APC screening committee, Jonathan Ayuba, announced Obaseki’s disqualification while presenting his report to Adams Oshiomhole, APC national chairman, at the national secretariat in Abuja

Ayuba said Obaseki was disqualified on account of a defective certificate.

The panel also disqualified two other aspirants, Matthew Aigbuhuenze Iduoriyekemwen and Chris Ogiemwonyi.

Earlier, Governor Obaseki had accused the APC and its National Chairman of planning to disqualify him from the June 22 primary election.

His alarm was contained in a statement Friday afternoon by his media aide, Crusoe Osagie.

He condemned the “extreme display of lawlessness and dictatorship by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole”.

The statement alleged that the chairman “would announce in a press conference the disqualification of Governor Obaseki”.

It said Oshiomhole has “subverted all due process and broken all the laws in the books in his ultimate quest to crown himself as the godfather of politics in Edo State”.

Obaseki accused his predecessor of claiming that “he is the Supreme Court and the ultimate determiner of the fate of aspirants for governorship seat under the APC”.

He alleged that Oshiomhole has executed “his pre-conceived agenda” of stopping him from flying the flag of the party at all cost.

The statement added that after pushing the narrative about Obaseki’s educational qualification and “meeting a brick wall with the University of Ibadan’s response“, Oshiomhole resorted to “his characteristic brute force.”

But in his reaction, Obaseki rejected his disqualification from the APC June 22 primary election vowing not to appeal the decision.

Another statement signed by his media aide, Crusoe Osagie said it was not necessary because Adams Oshiomhole has carefully orchestrated the move from the beginning.

He, therefore, urged his supporters to remain calm, and wait for further directives.

“We have watched the mockery of the 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 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.

“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.”

Subscribe to our newsletter for latest news and updates. You can disable anytime.