The Governor of Edo State, Goodwin Obaseki has warned the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole to steer clear of the party’s primaries in the State.
Obaseki gave the warning Wednesday at the APC National Secretariat, Abuja while addressing journalists after submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms.
He said: “I am using this opportunity to call on Comrade Oshiomhole to recluse himself from the Edo nomination process because he is an interested party. It is against natural justice for a man to be a judge in his own case.
“So I think the honourable thing to do is to recluse himself and let’s have a free process and let’s reconcile and build our party.”
The Edo State Governor who has been at loggerheads with his predecessor reiterated that he was going to win the Edo APC Governorship primaries whether through direct or indirect mode.
While debunking rumours that he had acquired the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) forms concurrently with that of APC, Obaseki said: “It is very absurd. I am someone that is very exposed. How can I collect forms from two parties when we had rulings in the past disqualifying people on that?
“I am a party man to the core. APC is my party because I come from a progressive political family. I believe in the ideals of APC, I believe in our President, I believe in what he stands for so I am a party man to the core. I am not an old-styed politician. I represent a new direction of politics that is based on facts and truth not lies”.
Speaking on while he was seeking second term, the Edo Governor said: “Another four years will give me that opportunity to consolidate on what we have done and that is a promise of APC. We are a reformist party; we are a progressive party. That’s why I’m here today to indicate my interest and my desire to run for another term as Governor of Edo so that I can continue in the service of my people”.
On his alleged betrayal of Oshiomhole, Obaseki disclosed that: “the person you talked about he had no money when he left labour to contest. We knew what we did to make him Governor. I sacrificed eight years of my life probono, I collected 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. That is the greatest betrayal of all. It is like betraying God. When you said to God, this is what I stand for and then God gives you power then you turn around and do the exact opposite. There is no greater betrayal than that.
“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. So what are we talking about?”
Business Day
