APC panel disqualifies Obaseki from primary election

The All Progressives Congress (APC) screening committee for the Edo governorship primary has disqualified Godwin Obaseki, the governor.
Jonathan Ayuba, chairman of the screening committee, broke the news while presenting his report to Adams Oshiomhole, APC national chairman, at the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja on Friday.
Ayuba said two other aspirants were also disqualified from the race while three persons will slug it out for the party’s gubernatorial ticket on June 22.
The six aspirants screened by the committee are Obaseki, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Pius Odubu, Chris Ogiemwonyi, Osaro Obazee and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.
Speaking with journalists after the screening on Wednesday, Obaseki had said he was not sure of getting justice because Oshiomhole had refused to recuse himself from the process.
“Like I said, as a party man I had to go through the screening process but I do not believe that I will get justice because Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is an interested party in the Edo process,” the governor had said.
“One of the questions asked was why did I issue a gazette that will prevent the party from performing direct elections in Edo. That did I not see it as an anti-party activity?”
Oshiomhole is believed to be backing Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a governorship aspirant, for the party’s ticket.
Ize-Iyamu had contested against Obaseki on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2016 but lost.
The APC primary election is scheduled for June 22.