·As Court Adjourns Suit to Thursday
- APC Top Members Would Soon Join Us, Edo PDP Chair
By Abdul Alli, Abuja
Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo State, has
resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress after meeting with
President Muhammadu Buhari
Obaseki was last Friday disqualified by the APC from contesting the forthcoming
governorship primary of the party in Edo over alleged discrepancies in his
certificates. He
is expected to announce his move to the Peoples Democratic Party any moment
from now.
In a related development, the Court of Appeal sitting in Benin has adjourned further hearing in the suit filed by two allies of Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki against the direct mode adopted for the June 22 primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the governorship race to Thursday.
The suit resumed on Tuesday despite the resignation of Governor Obaseki from the party after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
The National Working Commmittee (NWC) of APC had earlier disqualifed the Governor from the race on the ground of “defective qualifications.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Morenike Ogunwomiju, who was accompanied by Justices Sam Oseji and Moore Adumein, adjourned till Thursday, further hearing in the suit.
APC NWC on May 21 declared the governorship primary election would be by direct mode while Obaseki’s allies are pushing for indirect mode.
The suit with reference number: CA/B/128/2020, has as appellants, the APC and its National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, a former Governor of Edo state.
The respondents are the factional Edo Deputy Chairman of APC, Kenneth Asekomhe; and one of the governorship aspirants on the party’s platform, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, who were expelled from APC by the NWC over alleged anti-party activities last week as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP)
Also, the Edo State PDP Chairman, Mr Tony Aziegbemi, had earlier confirmed that Obaseki and other top officials of the All Progressives Congress would soon join his party.
Aziegbemi, however, said the governor would not be given an automatic ticket to fly the party’s flag as other aspirants had shown interest in the same position.
The PDP has fixed its governorship primary for June 19 and 20.
Obaseki was disqualified from contesting the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress slated for June 22.
Aziegbemi earlier noted that Obaseki would have to go through the laid down rules of the party when he eventually defects.
According to him, “There is nothing like an automatic ticket for anybody; it is like that in any democratic environment, and there is a process as laid down by the constitution of the party and that we will follow.
“But I can confirm to you that the governor, his deputy, and the entire APC structure in the state will be joining the PDP soon. We have been in touch in the last few days; by tomorrow (today), I will be able to confirm the exact date he will be joining with his team.”
However, one of the PDP aspirants in the forthcoming primary, Mr Ken Imasuagbon, said he would resist any attempt to hand over the party’s ticket to Obaseki ahead of the state governorship elections