Edo 2024: No aspirant has been disqualified – APC Publicity Scribe

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied screening out some governorship aspirants in the forthcoming Edo State gubernatorial election, declaring that no aspirant has been disqualified.

Recall on January 13, a stakeholders meeting was held by leaders of the party in the state in Abuja where a five-man committee led by Prof. Julius Ihonvbere was set up with the responsibility of interfacing with the over 26 aspirants and pruning the number to a reasonable size, and coming up with a credible aspirant who will bear the flag of the party.

The House Representatives Majority Leader-led committee after meeting with the over 26 aspirants reportedly screened and pruned the number of aspirants to 10, later 6 and finally four, a development that has caused tension in the party in the state.

But speaking during a press briefing in Benin on Tuesday, Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Peter Uwadiae, said there was no time the committee disqualified any aspirants, stressing that the Prof. Ihonvbere-led committee was not given such power.

The Publicity Secretary who said only the committee set up by the National Working Committee, is constitutionally empowered to screen and disqualify any governorship aspirant, disclosed that the committee set up by leaders of the party in the state was just “a mere adversary committee” and not a screening committee as portrayed.

Uwadiae said: “The Prof. Ihonvbere
committee was put up by caucus of the party in the state. The need for it was that we were advised by the national to ensure that the number of aspirants is pruned down, that was the rationale behind the setting up of the committee. The committee was to look at the aspirants, interface with them, and possibly also advise the party on the need for some of these aspirants to drop their ambition.

“It was not a screening committee as such. Because under our law and constitution, it is only the National Working Committee that has power to set up a screening committee. But the Prof. Julius Ihonvbere committee was necessitated by the increase in the number of aspirants. The national believes that if we allow all these aspirants to go into the field on the day of our primary, there might be rancour and disaffection which will ultimately rob on the party.

“So, I want to let our people know that the Prof. Ihonvbere committee is just an adversary committee, and this is the same way we want people outside to look at it.

“What the committee brought out as recommendation, was a mere advisory recommendation and not recommendation that stops anybody from purchasing forms.

“The Committee never disqualified anybody. The committee merely advised the party on the way to go so that there will be no crisis in the party,” he added.

The Publicity Secretary, while stating that his party believes in unity, fair play and democracy, described his party as disciplined, assuring that nothing would be done outside what the party constitution and Electoral Act spelt out

“We are a very disciplined party. We do our things according to law, dictate of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act and the party constitution. We will not derail from those statutory provisions,” he added.

He, therefore, urged party faithful not to allow the situation to cause rancour and disaffection among them.