The All Progressives Congress, APC, has disqualified Governor Godwin Obaseki, and two others from contesting in the July 22 governorship primary election in Edo State, just as the governor disclosed that he would not be appealing the outcome of the panel that recommended his disqualification.
Recall that the screening committee had announced the disqualification while presenting its report to the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee in Abuja on Friday.
Chairman of the panel, Prof. Jonathan Ayuba, while presenting the report explained that the committee could not vouch for the authenticity of the Higher School Certificate Mr Obaseki claimed to have obtained but refused to produce.
According to a report by The Punch, the committee held that the document he produced only attested to his attendance.
The seven-man screening committee led by Ayuba said the report is conclusive, adding that all members of the panel signed the report.
Mr Ayuba said the committee was thorough in the process of conducting the exercise, adding that the process was recorded and the unedited recording would be made available to the party.
Reacting to the disqualification, Mr Obaseki said he is not bothered by the decision of the party.
Mr Obaseki, who said this in a statement issued by Crusoe Osagie, his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, described the action as ‘a mockery of the democratic process’.
He said: “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 Gov. 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 said that it was unfortunate that “this open show of shame, illegality and travesty of justice’’ was the brand of democracy which Oshiomhole had 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.
“(This is) 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 Gov. Obaseki to remain calm and await further directives,” the statement added
