The disqualification of incumbent governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, by the screening panel of the All Progressives Congress, APC led by Prof. Jonathan Ayuba, from participating at the party’s June 22 governorship primary in the state, certainly did not come as a surprise to many political watchers. Compounding Obaseki’s woes, the National Working Committee of the party, led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, whom he had been having a running battle with, adopted the reports of both the screening panel and the appeal committee.
The adoption completely foreclosed any possibility for him to contest a second term during the September poll on the ruling party’s platform. Before any squabble between Oshiomhole and his political godson in 2016, the former labour leader campaigned vigorously for his successor. At that stage, he threw tantrums at his then opponent, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of People’s Democratic Party, who is now believed to be the consensus candidate of the ruling APC for September 2020 gubernatorial election. Daily Trust compiles twelve remarks Oshiomhole made in support of Obaseki in 2016:
1. God knows that Godwin comes from a large family in Benin Kingdom, he went to school, he finished his secondary school, he went to University of Ibadan, he finished, there were no issues, he finished in flying colours.
2. He went to the U. S., he did his Masters, he came back home, started helping people to set up businesses, he helped to manage businesses, he helped to set up many banks including several second-generation banks.
3. I don’t care if Obaseki betrays me at the end of the day, Obaseki’s allegiance should be to the people and not me.
4. The oath of office he is going to subscribe to says that he will defend the constitution of Nigeria, he will do everything to uplift the quality of life of Edo people. Nothing in his oath of office will include ‘I shall not betray my predecessor’ because I have no interest to be betrayed.
5. Obaseki had been part of the tradition, he knows the vision, he knows the mission, he knows the target, he knows where we are, he knows the challenges, and he knows how to overcome them.
6. He sits in the office of the economic team which he built using his network of friends inside the heart of government house without demanding one naira.
7. I know my limit. He knows his limit. Godwin Obaseki has worked for seven and half years for the people of Edo state, using his brain, creativity, quietly, not making noise.
8. A man like Obaseki, who will not ask me to give him contracts, but will promise me, comrade, you just do the thinking, we will create the means to actualise your thoughts.
9. And to his credit today, check the books of Edo state, we did not build new structures in government house with government money. That economic team office was built through Godwin’s network. Today, it remains a permanent asset of the state government.
10. I want us to be calling that building Godwin Obaseki building. I don’t see your opponent Ize-Iyamu being able to say that.
11. In 2007, check the records, Ize-Iyamu was hiding from EFCC. He did not vote. How can somebody who didn’t vote claim that he made me.
12. If you have to look at Godwin and his credentials and you look at a man (Ize-Iyamu) whose only work, by his CV, was a student and rusticated for two years, he read law but he is not a barrister.
