EDO GUBER: Why Obaseki may not be the PDP's flag carrier - Edo PDP reveals

Speaking to AFNEWS on Monday, the Chieftain of the PDP stated that a pronouncement would be made in the next few hours.

On giving Obaseki the party's ticket, Chief Imoisili stated that whoever emerges the winner of the PDP Primaries would fly the party's flag in the September 19 governorship election.

The former PDP secretary disclosed that since it was the party that submits candidate name to INEC, the PDP can decide to substitute any candidate name with that if Obaseki.

He, however, insisted that it is an internal affair of the party on how it chooses to select its candidate.

On Obaseki's qualifications, Imoisili said: "Which qualification did he use to contest as governor four years ago?

"So how come that four years after, people who don't want him re-elected are now saying he is no longer qualified.

"The issues on his qualification are already in court. Let the court make a pronouncement on whether the certificate he submitted is genuine or not.ÔÇØ

He added that only a court can come up with the final decision on a person being qualified to contest an election, adding that the APC panel report was only the opinion of the screening committee.

AFNEWS had reported that the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC had on Saturday affirmed the disqualification of Godwin Obaseki the Edo state governor and two others who had earlier disqualified by the screening panel.

The three aspirants disqualified by the APC were Governor Godwin Obaseki, Chris Ogiemwonyi, and Messrs Matthew Aigbuhuenze Iduoriyekemwen.

The screening committee led by Dr. Abubakar Fari, had disqualified Obaseki due to inconsistencies in the forms Obaseki submitted for scrutiny.

Fari said: "In the affidavit sworn to by Godwin Obaseki before the High Court Abuja, he stated under oath that he graduated from the University of Ibadan with a BA degree in Classical Studies in 1976. However, the university certificate he attached to his nomination form bears 1979 which is a material contradiction.''

The committee also said it found it hard to believe Obaseki gained admission to study at the university with three credits without a proper A-levels or a diploma.

The APC panel added that the governor was in possession of two separate voter cards which is illegal. Fari added that the attestation letter of the Institute the governor claimed to have attended after secondary school, was not on the letterhead of the school.

AFNEWS understands that several reports on Friday evening alleged that that Governor Obaseki has dumped the ruling APC after he was disqualified by the screening committee and had since joined the opposition PDP, with the hope of flying the party's flag for the Edo 2020 election.

Although Obaseki is yet to issue a statement regarding his alleged defection to the PDP and the plan to run for a second term in office on the platform of the main opposition party in the state, the Edo governor, however, visited two PDP governors, Nyesom Wike and Udom Emmanuel, thereby fueling rumours of his move to the opposition party.