Breaking: Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki resigns membership of APC

Embattled Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has resigned membership from the All Progressives Congress, APC after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

The governor announced this on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

We will be updating our readers about details of his resignation from the party and the Governors next moves but in the meantime, NewsWireNGR recalls that the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo State, had recommended the expulsion of Governor Godwin Obaseki, and the Chairman of the party, Anselm Ojezua as well as the state women leader, Dr Aisosa Amadasun from the party.

Speaking at a news conference in Benin City on Sunday, June 14, 2020, David Imuse-led executive, also commended the disqualification of Governor Obaseki by the party’s governorship primaries screening committee, noting that the decision will help the party avert a repeat of the scenario which played out in Bayelsa State.

Imuse cited anti-party activities, dragging the party to court without exploring all available internal dispute resolution options as some of the wrongs of those recommended.

On Saturday, the National Working Committee had confirmed that the governor was disqualified from participating in the party’s primaries for the upcoming governorship election.

According to the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, Obaseki in addition to presenting faulty certificates, had abused his powers as Governor of the state.

He also accused Obaseki of orchestrating the inauguration of only nine out of 24 members of the State House of Assembly, an act he described as unacceptable to the party.

“Our democracy is founded on a tripod of executive, legislature and the judiciary,” Oshiomhole said. “When a Governor decides to muzzle the legislature, then democracy is dead.”

He insisted that Obaseki frustrated moves to resolve the issue as he obtained court orders restraining the Senate President, the National Assembly and the reconciliation committee from intervening in the matter.

Consequently, Oshiomhole said the party has cleared three persons that will participate in the Edo state primaries: Hon. Pius Odubu, Mr. Osaro Obaze, and Pastor Osagie Eze-Iyamu.

Earlier on Saturday, an APC appeal committee had upheld Obaseki’s disqualification which was first announced by the party’s screening committee on Friday.