Edo 2020: Report claims Oshiomhole told INEC APC had agreed on direct primary before NWC approval
- A new report has claimed the APC national chairman, Oshiomhole, told INEC the party had agreed on direct primary in Edo well before the approval of the NWC
- The National Working Committee of the APC took the decision on May 22 while Oshiomhole had allegedly written INEC on May 19
- Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki had sent a stay clear message Oshiomhole ahead of the party's primary election
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Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the APC, had allegedly informed INEC that the party had agreed on the direct primary in Edo, even before the National Working Committee of the party took the decision, The Cable has claimed.
Recall that the NWC, headed by Oshiomhole, reached the decision on Friday, May 22. The Cable, however, reported that Oshiomhole had written to Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, three days earlier.
The newspaper said Oshiomhole had sent the letter dated May 19, saying the party had agreed that direct primary would be conducted in 192 wards.
Source: UGC
However, Oshiomhole had on Monday, June 1, said he did not choose the direct mode of primary elections to pick the Edo state governorship candidate.
The former labour leader disclosed this while answering questions at the end of a closed-door meeting with some APC governors and the National Working Committee.
Contrary to reports that Oshiomhole had insisted that the party will use direct primary, the APC national chairman stated that the decision was taken by the NWC.
He also maintained that the party has not received any official letter rejecting the mode of the primary election from Governor Obaseki.
Legit.ng previously reported that Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state had sent a stay clear message Oshiomhole ahead of the party's primary election.
He asked the chairman to stay clear of the party’s primary for the election of governorship candidate on June 22.
The Edo state governor disclosed this after submitting his nomination form at the national secretariat, adding that it would be unfair of Oshiomole to be part of the process as a vested interest.
According to Obaseki, it is against natural justice for a man to be a judge in his own case. Going further, the governor said he is actively pursuing peace at home and abroad.
In another report, Governor Obaseki claimed that Oshiomhole, his predecessor, had no money when he contested the governorship election in 2007.
Recall that Oshiomhole contested the Edo guber election in 2007 on the platform of the then Action Congress (AC) but lost to Oserheimen Osunbor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The current national chairman of the ruling APC, however, challenged the outcome of the election in court and was declared winner one year later.
Speaking with newsmen after submitting his nomination and expression of interest forms for the 2020 governorship election on Wednesday, June 3, Governor Obaseki said he not only helped Oshiomhole into power but also made sacrifices to ensure he emerged national chairman of the ruling party.
The embattled governor of Edo state said it is wrong for people to say he betrayed Oshiomhole.
"In life, everybody gets helped, everybody gets assisted. The person you talked about (Oshiomhole), he had no money when he left labour to contest. We knew what we did to make him Governor,” he said.
“I sacrificed eight years of my life pro bono, I collected to no Kobo to serve him in Edo. Today, we know what we have built because of where we started from. So, when you talk of betrayal, the biggest betrayal can be when people betray a cause, when they betray an idea.
“So, when you talk about betrayal, let us be very clear. I want to put it on record that I am grateful, he assisted me just as I assisted him. I know the sacrifices we made to make him national chairman.”
Primate Ayodele: Oshiomhole should stop fighting God's project | - on Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
