By Pius Alile

The screening panel that disqualified Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State gave a very compelling reason for his ineligibility to contest the upcoming All Progressives Congress, APC, primaries. The panel found some irregularities in his academic qualification and National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, discharge certificate. It is instructive to know that Governor Obaseki could not produce his West African Examination Council, WAEC, A-level result.

According to the panel chairman, the certificate he produced was alien to the Nigerian educational system. It, therefore, implies that the certificate so produced was forged. His NYSC certificate was also defective with anomalies in his name.

Governor Obaseki’s ongoing anti-party activities did not also help his case. He admitted taking the party to court on several occasions along with other onslaughts against members of APC. I want to say that the reasons for his disqualification are so damning and tantamount to committing political suicide.

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Governor Obaseki is likely to sojourn into political oblivion and may not be able to occupy any political space in Nigeria in general and Edo State in particular. Reasons adjudged for his disqualification bother on his integrity, character, conduct, and behaviour. It is the case of anti-party activities.

These reasons are so injurious that Governor Obaseki may not be able to recover from the affliction now or in the near future.

Obaseki, by this indictment, has abused the confidence reposed in him by Edo electorate and committed an affront to the collective intelligence of the entire Edo 

State that gave him the mandate to govern.

Governor Obaseki should recuse himself from the governance of this state and resign his position as Edo State Governor.

I want to advise his followers and political leaders to realign with other political forces in APC and ensure a total victory for the party in the state. Governor Obaseki must be abandoned to carry his cross alone.

His political end is imminent and his time to account for all his actions against the people of the state is also near.

All APC members must now close ranks and ensure total victory for the party in the upcoming gubernatorial election.

God’s time is now. Edo must move forward

Alile, Director of Strategy, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu Campaign organisation, writes from Benin City.