Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, who was disqualified from contesting in the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2020 election, is hinged on allegations that he had a problematic academic certificate.
He was disqualified alongside Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi and Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, by a screening panel constituted by the party to clear contenders for the party’s ticket ahead of Edo State governorship election later this year.
The disqualification was announced by the chairman of the APC screening committee, Prof. Jonathan Ayuba at a press conference in Abuja.
He gave as reason the governor’s failure to produce his Higher School Certificate, HSC, the instrument which he supposedly entered the University of Ibadan to read Classics in 1973.
He also said the committee could not verify the governor’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.
Mr. Iduoriyekemwen, an ally of the governor was disqualified for supposedly dragging the party to court.
Engr. Ogiemwonyi who is an associate of the Oshiomhole camp was also disqualified for discrepancies in the names in his credentials.
Recall also that Mr Obaseki has been locked in an open and bitter contest against Adams Oshiomhole, the party’s national chairman whose influence looms considerably over Edo politics.
Just before the announcement, the govermor’s spokesperson, Crusoe Osagie, had said they expected that Mr Oshiomhole-led party will announce the disqualification Friday afternoon.
“Like he stated recently that he is the Supreme Court and the ultimate determiner of the fate of aspirants for governorship seat under the APC, he has executed his pre-conceived agenda of stopping Governor Obaseki from flying the flag of the party, at all cost,” Mr Osagie said in a statement on Friday.
“After pushing the failed narrative about Governor Obaseki’s educational qualification and meeting a brick wall with the University of Ibadan’s response, he resorted to using his characteristic brute force to disqualify the governor.”
Mr Oshiomhole is believed to support Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the party’s candidate in the election.
However, the outcome is that the race has been thrown open for three aspirants, namely: Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Dr. Pius Odubu and Mr. Osaze Obaze.
Earlier on Wednesday, Obaseki expressed fears about his possible disqualification in a terse press statement where he accused Oshiomhole of masterminding the process.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media, Crusoe Osagie, he said:
“The extreme display of lawlessness and dictatorship by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole would reach its peak by 2pm today when he would announce in a press conference the disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki, from contesting the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“In record time, Oshiomhole has subverted all due process and broken all the laws in the books in his ultimate quest to crown himself as the godfather of politics in Edo State.
“Like he stated recently that he is the Supreme Court and the ultimate determiner of the fate of aspirants for governorship seat under the APC, he has executed his pre-conceived agenda of stopping Governor Obaseki from flying the flag of the party, at all cost.”
After pushing the failed narrative about Governor Obaseki’s educational qualification and meeting a brick wall with the University of Ibadan’s response, he resorted to using his characteristic brute force to disqualify the governor.
