APC Affirms Obaseki's Candidacy For Gubernatorial Poll

Godwin Obaseki

• Philip Shaibu emerges running mate

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has affirmed Godwin Obaseki as the party’s standard bearer for the September 10, 2016 governorship election in Edo State.

In a statement yesterday by the party’s National Secretary Mai Mala Bubi after taking delivery of the report from its Appeal Committee, the NWC maintained that the June 18, 2016 primary that produced Obaseki was valid, overruling the protests from Kenneth Imansuagbon and Chris Ogiemwonyi who also participated in the exercise.

The Opeyemi Bamidele-led three-man appeal committee had on Wednesday, June 29, 2016 submitted its report to the party’s secretariat in Abuja, saying, “the issues raised were not compelling as to warrant the cancellation of the primary election. Hence the call on all APC stakeholders in Edo State to put the party’s interest over and above personal interests in ensuring a speedy and amicable reconciliation.”

Also, the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun while congratulating Obaseki on his emergence, lauded the Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari-led seven-man Election Committee for successfully conducting a “very transparent, free, fair and credible” primary.”

He, therefore, called on all stakeholders to “unite as a strong political fighting force behind the candidature of Godwin Obaseki for a landslide victory at the poll.

“The request by the aspirants was that the Edo State APC governorship primary should be transparent, free, fair and credible. This, the party achieved creditably during the primary,” he added.

Meanwhile, former National Association of Nigerian Students president and sitting member of the House of the Representatives, Philip Shaibu, has been nominated as deputy governorship candidate