Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has rejected the verdict of the screening committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on his disqualification from participating in the party’s primary election.
A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, described the situation as a “mockery of democratic process.”
He accused the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole of reducing the APC to a brand of democracy where “illegality and travesty of justice” thrive.
Obaseki said he has decided that it would be effort in futility to appeal the “unjust outcome” of the screening process, “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 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,” the statement said.
“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.
“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 well 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. Long live Edo State. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The committee earlier on Friday afternoon recommended that Obaseki is not eligible to participate in the primaries.
It disclosed that his HSC and NYSC certificate are defective.