The seven-man screening committee, led by Jonathan Ayuba, had while presenting the reports of its committee to the National Working Committee of the party disqualified the governor, Godwin Obaseki, Chris Ogiemwonyi and Mathew Iduoyekemwen, whereas Osaro Obazee, Pius Odubu and Osagie Ize-Iyamu were cleared to go ahead with the primary election
Reacting to the committee’s report, the Special Adviser to the governor on media and communication strategy, Crusoe Osagie, described the qualification as a mockery of the democratic process.
“It would be an effort in futility to appeal whatever the unjust outcome of the evaluation and screening process of the APC will be.
“We call on all party members and the teeming supporters of Governor Obaseki to remain calm and await further directives.
“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”, he said.
On his part, Anselm Ojezua, APC state chairman of Obaseki’s faction, said the state leadership of the party will meet tomorrow (today) to take a stand on the disqualification.
“We saw the disqualification of the governor coming due to the antics of the party leaders. Even when the governor went to submit the form and before the screening, he had already made a statement that he will not get justice”, he stated.
However, Chris Azebanmwan, the factional publicity Secretary of APC in the state, commended the committee for a job well done.
Azebanmwan, who said the governor still has the option to appear before the party’s screening appeal committee, noted that the disqualification was not the end of the road for him.
Also speaking, Charles Airhiavbere, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), who urged Governor Godwin Obaseki to exhaust all party’s internal mechanism to resolve the disqualification noted that all is not over yet.
“It is not over yet as the Appeal Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) still has its role to play. The ruling party is to take up all complaints in its Appeal
SOURCE: BUSINESS DAY
