The All Progressive Congress, APC, national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, in an unexpected turn of event, announced Friday afternoon the disqualification of Obaseki from the governorship race.
Reacting to the pronouncement, Crusoe described the event as “an open show of shame, illegality and travesty of justice, which Oshiomhole has reduced the APC into.”
Crusoe stated in a release that “We have watched the mockery of the democratic process, which Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is administering and superintending over in our great party the All Progressives Congress (APC). It has been an unfortunate, disheartening and dreadful spectacle.
“We had initially asserted that going by the open display and enthronement of illegality by one man in the party that comprises several organs and eminent personalities, there is no way that Governor Godwin Obaseki would get a fair assessment in the run-up to the nomination of candidates to fly the flag of the party in the forthcoming Edo gubernatorial election.
“It is unfortunate that this open show of shame, illegality and travesty of justice is the brand of democracy which Comrade Oshiomhole has reduced the APC into. The situation is quite saddening because this is a party supposedly reputed for change, equity and social justice.
“We have, therefore, decided that it would be an effort in futility to appeal whatever the unjust outcome of the evaluation and screening process of the APC will be, especially when Comrade Oshiomhole has declared that he is the Supreme Court and ultimate determiner of the fate and future of our great party.
“We wish Oshiomhole luck in his maladministration of the party and trust that the Almighty will help our country to find the path to true liberty, freedom and justice.
“We call on all party members and the teeming supporters of Governor Obaseki to remain calm and await further directives.”
Just before the 2 pm press briefing where the disqualification of Obaseki was announced, the camp of the sitting governor had earlier leaked that all was set for Oshiomhole to pronounce the disqualification of the Edo State governor.
The statement read: “The extreme display of lawlessness and dictatorship by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole would reach its peak by 2 pm today when he would announce in a press conference the disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki, from contesting the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“In record time, Oshiomhole has subverted all due process and broken all the laws in the books in his ultimate quest to crown himself as the godfather of politics in Edo State.
“As he stated recently that he is the Supreme Court and the ultimate determiner of the fate of aspirants for governorship seat under the APC, he has executed his pre-conceived agenda of stopping Governor Obaseki from flying the flag of the party, at all cost.
“After pushing the failed narrative about Governor Obaseki’s educational qualification and meeting a brick wall with the University of Ibadan’s response, he resorted to using his characteristic brute force to disqualify the governor.”
Vanguard