An elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark has condemned the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki by the Edo State Governorship Primary Screening Committee .
Clark a former Federal Commissioner for Information and a prominent leader of the South-South, described the development as an opportunity for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take over the governance of Edo State.
In a statement he issued in Warri, Delta State on Monday and entitled ‘Edo State APC crisis: No individual is bigger than Nigeria’, he cautioned that the Akinwunmi Ambode’s treatment being handed to Obaseki would be “horrendous.”
Ambode, the immediate past Lagos State governor was denied an opportunity to run for a second term over alleged rift with his godfather, the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Speculations are that the protracted rift between Obaseki and his godfather, Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the APC led to the governor’s disqualification.
Clark, in his statement frowned that the APC leaders including President Muhammadu Buhari and Tinubu allowed Oshiomhole to do what he was allegedly doing in Edo.
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“If the leadership of the APC, including Mr President, fails to intervene in this unfortunate crisis in Edo State, I would appeal to the opposition PDP to take advantage of the situation. I repeat, PDP, should take advantage of this unfortunate crisis in the APC, to adopt the incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki as their candidate.
“It is a golden opportunity for the PDP to take over Edo State because Governor Obaseki has, so far, done well. I want to believe that he will continue the good work if given a second chance. I also appeal to the people of Edo all over the world to support him to achieve his second term bid, and to PDP aspirants to also sink their interest for now in the overall interest of their Edo State.
“I condemn, in the strongest terms, the disqualification of the incumbent Governor of Edo State, by the APC screening committee under the leadership of a Professor Ayuba Jonathan, over alleged inconsistencies in the Governor’s academic credentials.
“I am indeed, very disappointed and embarrassed that professors, noted for rationality, judiciousness and erudition, should now be allowing themselves to be used by people, who, educationally, are not their peers,” Clark said.
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