Edo Governorship: Despite disqualification, Obaseki will contest, win – APC chairman

The chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Anselm Ojezua, has said that despite Governor Godwin Obaseki’s disqualification by the APC, the governor will seek re-election and win a second term.

Mr Ojezua also called for calm over the disqualification of Mr Obaseki from the party’s governorship primary.

“They didn’t say he will not contest the election but that he will not contest under the platform of the APC.

“By tomorrow, we will meet and be in a position to make a proper statement on what the future holds for the party in Edo State,” Mr Ojezua was quoted as saying by Mr Obaseki’s aide, Crusoe Osagie, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Ojezua’s statement is the closest indication yet that Mr Obaseki will defect to a new party to seek re-election. There have been rumours he would defect to the main opposition party, PDP.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how the screening committee of the APC, in Abuja on Friday afternoon, disqualified Mr Obaseki and two others from participating in the party’s governorship primary.

Mr Obaseki, who has been having a longrunning feud with his predecessor and APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, has said he will not appeal the decision.

He blamed Mr Oshiomhole for the disqualification.

Mr Ojezua, according to a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by Mr Obaseki’s aide, said the APC in Edo will meet on Saturday to deliberate on the matter.

Mr Ojezua leads a main faction of the APC in Edo. The faction is loyal to Mr Obaseki. A separate faction of the party in the state is loyal to Mr Oshiomhole.

The APC holds its primary on June 22.

Read the statement by the Edo APC chairman as sent by Mr Obaseki’s office below.

Chairman of the Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Anselm Ojezua, Esq., has called for calm among party members and supporters following the unjust disqualification of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki by the Governorship Primary Screening Committee of the party, noting that the governor has performed credibly well and will be reelected for a second term.

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Ojezua, who spoke to journalists in Benin City after the announcement by the committee, said the result didn’t come as a surprise as the governor had alluded to the fact that he will not get justice from the screening exercise.

He, however, appealed to the supporters of the party in the State to remain calm as the leadership of the party will meet tomorrow Saturday 13th June 2020, to properly respond to the report of the committee that screened candidates for the June 22, 2020 APC Primary.

Ojezua said, “I want to appeal to leaders and members of APC in Edo State to remain calm. The validity of the Screening Committee has not been established. A proper response to the report is yet to come as the leadership of the party in the State will meet tomorrow and at the end of the meeting give an appropriate response.

Reacting to the governor’s chances of reelection following his decision not to appeal the screening result, the party chairman noted, “They didn’t say he will not contest the election but that he will not contest under the platform of the APC.

“By tomorrow, we will meet and be in a position to make a proper statement on what the future holds for the party in Edo State.”