Why APC screening committee disqualified Obaseki from Edo governorship primary

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Screening Committee for the Edo State governorship election, on Friday disqualified Governor Godwin Obaseki from participating in the party’s primary election for the nomination of its candidate in the Edo State election.

Chairman of the committee, Professor Jonathan Ayuba, at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, on Friday, declared Governor Obaseki unfit to contest in the primary election of the APC; the governor was disqualified with two other aspirants.

Briefing the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and other party chieftains on the  screening of aspirants, the committee chairman declared: “We have screened six aspirants; three were deemed eligible to participate and three were found ineligible to participate.”

Prof. Ayuba said Governor Obaseki was disqualified because his HSC and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates are “defective”.

The committee chairman said the screening panel decided to disqualify and clear aspirants based on some references and documents.

Governor Obaseki, rejecting the disqualification by the screening committee, said he would not appeal his disqualification.

The governor in a statement by his media aide, Crusoe Osagie, described the screening process as a mockery of the democratic process.

The governor accordingly declared: “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.”

It is apparent that seeking justice at the court of law is the alternative for Obaseki.