• APC screening committee for the Edo governorship election primary has summoned all the aspirants
• There are fears that the screening committee might disqualify incumbent governor Godwin Obaseki from the race
• Governor Obaseki had earlier said he was not expecting to get justice from the committee

The All Progressives Congress (APC) screening committee for Edo state governorship election has summoned all the aspirants, who were screened earlier this week to appear before it at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Governor Obaseki had earlier said he is not sure of getting justice from the screening committee. Photo credit: Edo state govt

A member of the committee told ThisDay that a text message had been sent to all the aspirants informing them to report at the party secretariat for the sitting of the appeal committee, slated to begin at 10 am.

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It was gathered that all the aspirants were summoned so that anyone disqualified who needed to seek redress would have the opportunity to do so immediately.

Another party chief said the chances are high that the screening committee might disqualify Obaseki, who has been having a running battle with APC national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on account of alleged anti-party activities.

Shortly after he was screened earlier this week, the governor had said he might not get justice from the party and accused Oshiomhole of being a judge by proxy in his case.

Meanwhile, a group of professionals known as Edo Good Governance Group (E3G) have thrown their weight behind Governor Obaseki in his ongoing effort to return for a second term.

After a meeting on Wednesday, June 3, the group called on all Edo people to rally round to ensure that Oshiomhole, “does not impose his cronies on the state through an ambush.”

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Recall that the governor’s fate was already hanging in the balance after the Independent National Electoral Commission approved the direct primaries mode for the APC primary election for the Edo State governorship election.

Governor Obaseki had vehemently opposed the direct primary mode but the electoral body seems to have ignored him.

In a related development, an aspirant in the forthcoming Edo state governorship election under the APC, Engineer Chris Ogiemwonyi has said that Governor Obaseki should not be allowed to fly the party’s flag during the September 19 election.

Ogiemwonyi, a former minister of state for works, said the governor was foisted on Edo people in 2016, adding that he does not deserve a second term in office if the state must progress.

According to him, Governor Obaseki was not in the political calculation in Edo state in 2016, until Oshiomhole, then state governor, supported him.