Breaking: More troubles in Edo as APC disqualifies Obaseki from governorship primaries

Fresh troubles may be brewing in Edo State as the All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified Governor Godwin Obaseki from contesting the June 22 governorship primaries of the party over certificates irregularities.

Chairman of the APC Edo Governorship primaries Screening Committee, Jonathan announced this Friday at APC National Secretariat Abuja while presenting report of the screening exercise to the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

He also said Chris Ogiemwonyi an Matthew Iduoriyekemwen have been disqualified while Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Pius Odubu, and Osaro Obazee have been cleared to run for the primaries.

As anticipated, Obaseki after his screening Wednesday night said, he was not sure of getting justice under Oshiomhole whom he described as an interested party in the Edo Governorship primaries.

“Like I said, as a party man I have been through the screening process but I do not believe that I will get justice because Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is an interested party in the Edo process”, the Edo Governor lamented.

Obaseki said he was accused of anti-party activities for signing a gazette that will prevent the party from conducting direct primaries in Edo State.

“One of the questions that was asked was that why did I issue a gazette that will prevent the party from performing direct elections in Edo. That did I not see it as an anti party activity? I just felt that if we put politics above the the lives of the people of Edo State, the we may be missing the point”, he noted.

“In our view of the issues raised. We concluded that the higher school certificate was defective,” the chairman of the screening panel
“The NYSC certificate – and act of the aspirant taking the party to court – these are some of the issues we have attached and based on the party constitution this has made us to recommend that  the above candidate thereby his excellency Godwin Obaseki is not eligible to participate in the governor.”
On his part, Oshiomhole commended the panel, urging disqualified aspirants, who believe that they have a case, to appeal.
Speaking with reporters after the announcement of the screening committee, Ogiemwonyi described the process as “rubbish”.
“What is the difference between Chris and Christopher. I have served as a minister in this country,” he said.
The aspirant said he would take his case to the appeal panel.
After the screening on Wednesday, Obaseki had told reporters that he was not sure of getting justice because Oshiomhole had refused to recuse himself from the process.
“Like I said, as a party man I had to go through the screening process but I do not believe that I will get justice because Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is an interested party in the Edo process,” the governor had said.
“One of the questions asked was why did I issue a gazette that will prevent the party from performing direct elections in Edo. That did I not see it as an anti-party activity?”
Oshiomhole is believed to be backing Ize-Iyamu for the party’s ticket.
Ize-Iyamu had contested against Obaseki on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2016 but lost.