SAN FRANCISCO, June 05, (THEWILL) – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, of its impartiality in the process that will throw up its governorship candidate in the September election in the state saying it would be transparent and be fair to all aspirants in the primary scheduled for June 22.
This comes against the backdrop of Wednesday’s call by Obaseki for APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to recuse himself from the process of picking the party’s governorship candidate.
Obaseki and Oshiomhole have been locked in a power struggle for the control of the state chapter of the party, triggering a war of attrition that has led to the factionalisation of APC in Edo State.
The governor had advocated Oshiomhole’s recusal on the ground that Oshiomhole, his predecessor, might not be fair to him, having openly supported a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Osagie Ize-Iyamu, to emerge as the APC governorship candidate.
However, APC said it has a register of all its members nationwide and would comply with the recent directive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to submit the Edo State version, ahead of the primary.
APC spokesman, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, stated that while he is unaware why Obaseki asked the national chairman to recuse himself from the process of the primary, he said the party would be fair to all the aspirants.
ALSO READ: APC Primary Election: Six Aspirants Announced For Edo Governorship Screening
He stated: ‘’I don’t know what informed the comment of His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki. I am sure our national chairman is capable of responding to that. But the governor didn’t say the party should recuse itself. In any case, I don’t know the role the national chairman is going to play.
‘’APC, as a party, will be fair to all the aspirants; we will be very transparent in the process leading to the primary and the primary will be conducted in a transparent manner in line with the constitution of our party.
“APC is one party; the National Working Committee (NWC) has its membership register across the country. And we will comply with the directive of INEC. There is no controversy over that.”
About the Author
