Tony Osauzo, Benin

Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), loyal to the embattled National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday, confirmed there will be no right of first refusal or reserved slot for Governor Godwin Obaseki who is battling for a second term ticket of the party.

The factional state Chairman of the party, Col. David Imuse, stated this in Benin City while addressing journalists on the Abuja High Court suspension of the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and its vacation by a Kano Federal High Court.

He said the party ticket will go to the person who is able to persuade members that he deserves their trust and confidence.

“There will be no right of first refusal, no sacred cows, and no reserved slots. Our party ticket will go to the person who is able to persuade members that he deserves their trust and confidence. We will not be harassed, bombed, intimidated or arm-twisted to give our support to any person. Enough is enough”, he said.

Imuse who was flanked by some  party chieftains said all aspirants, “including Godwin Obaseki, if he chooses to remain in APC, will have to submit themselves to the party primaries”.

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He said “all indications are that Obaseki has been going around shopping for a political party that will accept his overbearing and obnoxious determination to foist himself on the political class to actualise his desperate bid for a second term.

“We wish to sound a note of warning to Godwin Obaseki and his co-travellers who are determined to destabilize our party’s cohesiveness that they will not succeed in their dastardly plans. Any person who aspires to contest the forthcoming election to the office of the Governor of Edo State should conduct themselves appropriately as outlined in the constitution of APC.”

On the suspension of Oshiomhole by Abuja High Court and its vacation by Kano Federal High court , Imuse said the embarrassment that followed the vacated injunction still lingers.

According to him, “that was what Godwin Obaseki and his co-travellers set out to achieve” adding “all they wanted was to denigrate the person of Comrade Oshiomhole and bring his towering political status to ridicule and contempt

“I should add at this juncture that at no time did we in the state executive get notification from ward 10 or Etsako West local government area executive to the effect that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was subject of any disciplinary procedure. Any document claiming to have done so is a nullity.

“Nine members of the ward executive committee of ward 10 who had earlier been suspended, maliciously concocted a document from government house at the instigation of Godwin Obaseki purporting to suspend the National Chairman of our party, an action they do not have a constitutional authority to so do.”