Updated : Edo: APC disqualifies Obaseki, Ogiemwonyi, clears Ize – Iyamu, Odubu, Obazee

* Oshiomhole orchestrated my disqualification, I won’t appeal – Obaseki

*Am ready to face Appeal panel – Ogiemwonyi

*Obaseki’s disqualification, an hatchet job – Odigie Oyegun

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

The aspiration of Governor Godwin Obaseki to seek a second term in office as Edo state governor was annulled yesterday by the  All Progressives Congress (APC) on the anniversary day of the famous June 12, 1993 presidential election.

The Prof. Jonathan Ayuba – led seven man screening committee declared Governor Obaseki, former Works minister, Chris Ogiemwonyi and former, Majority Leader, Edo House of Assembly, Hon.Mathew Iduoriyenkenwen    ineligible to contest the June 22 governorship primaries of the party.

However cleared to the direct primary election are; former Secretary to State Government, Pastor Osagie Ize – Iyamu, former deputy governor, Pius Odubu and Osaro Obazee.

The committee faulted both Higher Scholl Certificate (HSC) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), submitted by Obaseki in disqualifying him.

Prof. Ayuba said “Though, His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki in his nomination form claimed to have obtained a Higher School Certificate (HSC) from an Institute of Continuing Education, Benin.

” It was observed however that no educational certificate such as HSC is known in Nigerian educational system.

Even then, the same HSC was never presented in the course of the screening exercise. The aspirant admitted that he has never collected it. 

“The attestation from the Institute of Continuing Education, Benin fro. where the alleged HSC which was indicated in the field of attendance as obtained is of no consequence,  as it only attests that Obaseki was a student of the Institute. So what we had was like an  It was just an attendance, it was not a result.

“Although, the Committee received a petition on his University of Ibadan Bachelor of Arts Classics certificate which he submitted to INEC in 2016, when he first contested as governor.

The committee on further probing was presented with original certificate issued by the University and the original was sighted.

“On the NYSC certificate dated 6th August 1980, the committee observed that he bears the name “Obasek Godwin.

While this may be an error on the part of the issuing authority, we observed however that the aspirant has not taken any step ever to have the anomaly corrected by the issuing authority.

“In our interaction with issues raised, we concluded that HSC was defective, the NYSC certificate  and based on the party’s Constitution, this has made us to recommend that the above candidate therefore, Obaseki is not eligible to participate in the election.

Giving reason for disqualifying Ogiemwonyi, the committee chairman said ” the name on all the certificate presented by the aspirant are in contradiction with one another.

Also the sworn declaration of aged deposed to by one Capt. Steven on 3rd June 2016 bore two conflicting names of the aspirant. 

“Considering the discrepancy in all the certificate presented and also the difference in the names contained in the sworn affidavit of June 2016, and having regards to the Federal Republic of Nigeria,  the Electoral Act, APC Constitution and the party’s guidelines for the nomination of candidates and the reliance on the cases that have been settled by the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

“It  is the considered view of the committee that this aspirant does not meet the requirement to participate in the primary of the APC.

“In view of the findings of the committee above, Engr Chris Is not cleared”.

The committee chairman,Prof. Ayuba said the assignment was a tasking one which came at a time the nation’s electoral process is being challenged, hence, making it necessary for the committee members to thoroughly do the assignment, knowing fully that their integrity was at stake.

“We did the work not for APC but for the nation. Knowing that our integrity is at stake, we were thorough in the process by putting on record interactions with all the aspirants.

It was an evidence based exercise and our repirt is a true reflection of the process.
“What we did was not investigation but interaction and verification of documents submitted before us”.

Receiving the report on behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC), the national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole while appreciating the committee members for a thorough job, said the report is not final but to be subjected to appeal.

He said the Appeal panel have to sit on the appeal that will emanate from the report submitted.

However,  Governor  Obaseki has said that he will not appeal his disqualification by the screening committee.

The governor in a statement by his media aide, Crusoe Osagie said it is needless filing an appeal when the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole has carefully orchestrated the move from the beginning.

“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 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.

Godwin Obaseki is not eligible to participate in Edo governorship election – APC

“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 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”, Obaseki said.

The governor called on all party members and his teeming supporters  to remain calm and await further directives.

In his own reaction, one of the disqualified, Chris Ogiemwonyi, a former Minister of State for Works expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome and has decided to go through the appeal process.

Rubbishing the report, Ogiemwonyi said he had served the country as a minister using same credentials for screening.

“It is all rubbish. We shall meet at the appeal. I served this country as a minister using the same credentials”, he said.

Former governor of Edo state and former national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun said  Obaseki’s disqualification is an hatchet job aimed at installing a stooge that will allow some people unfettered access to Edo treasury.

Not surprise by the report, he said the   disqualification is clear indication  that internal democracy has been murdered in APC, a party which was founded on the principles  of fairplay and good conscience.

Odigie – Oyegun said “I dare say that APC will suffer dire consequences in Edo state if this disqualification is not speedily reversed. 

“As a matter of fact, Oshiomole is indeed the one who is guilty of anti party, not Obaseki.

Oshiomole is the one who is acting unconstitutionally not Obaseki. I hope that Oshiomole will not go down in history as the undertaker of APC”.