Gaidom, ‘acting APC national chairman’, nullifies Obaseki’s disqualification

Victor Gaidom, deputy national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has nullified the disqualification of Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, from the party’s governorship primary election in the state. 

Gaidom declared himself as the national chairman of the APC on Wednesday following the appeal court judgment which upheld the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman.

The self-acclaimed national chairman of the APC asked governorship aspirants in Edo state to report for a fresh screening exercise.

He announced the nullification of the screening exercise while speaking with journalists at the APC national secretariat on Wednesday.

Obaseki was disqualified from contesting in the party’s governorship primary election over an alleged defective certificate by the APC screening panel set up by Oshiomhole.

Gaidom described the exercise overseen by Oshiomhole as a “brazen rape on the rule of law”.

“Our party, the All Progressives Congress, will no longer allow local quests for the control of power to influence our decisions. As your Acting National Chairman and presiding officer in the NWC, we therefore cancel the decision of the Screening and Appeal Committees of the former Chairman of the party on the Edo primaries,” he said.

“This is in strict compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that forbids anyone who is interested in a cause to be a judge in that same cause.

“It is a brazen rape on the Rule of Law and the constitution of comrade Adams Oshiomohle to preside and select Committees in respect to the Governorship primaries in Edo State being a key player in the crisis in that State.

“Whatever the federal republic of Nigeria for the former chairman, the former Chairman was given to play in that process the APC constitution, it cannot override the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which governs
all of us.

“We therefore, ask all Aspirants in the governorship Primaries to report for fresh screening between today and tomorrow. call on all aspirants to remain in the All Progressives Congress as we guarantee fairness and justice to all concerned.

“The schedule and time for each aspirant shall be communicated.”

He asked Muhammad Sani lbrahim, deputy organising secretary, to assume office as the national organising secretary.