Nigerians have shared their diverse views on the disqualification of the incumbent Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki by his political party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

A panel of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, conducted a screening for its governorship aspirants ahead of the June 22 primaries.

Prior to the screening, Obaseki had raised the alarm that the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, planned to announce his disqualification in a press conference.

However, shortly after the allegations were made, chairman of the APC screening committee, Jonathan Ayuba, announced Obaseki’s disqualification, while presenting his report to Oshiomhole, at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja

Aruba said Obaseki was disqualified on account of a defective certificate.

While some Nigerians on social media blamed the incumbent governor for being disloyal and biting the finger that fed him, others believed that Obaseki was only a victim of party supremacy.

Here are some thoughts of Nigerians on Twitter:

@DeeOneAyekooto, “Democracy was good when Obaseki wanted to use Court Injunction to remove Oshiomole but democracy is in danger because Obaseki was disqualified due to certificate issues. Continue to display your crass bias”.

@AdemolaDurojaiy, “Democracy was sweet when he prevented and still preventing a whole 14 members from swearing in since a year ago, but it’s in danger now when he’s now disqualified. Let everyone judge his own case and see how it pains.”

@Rufaihakeem2, “What goes around finally comes around. The pains of losing the APC chairmanship seat versus the pains of losing the 2nd term governorship seat.”

@OsindeindeOluw2, “Obaseki was fully supported when he was boldly fighting who called him to fame, We need to understand that to err is human, a so called God father could misbehave but It could be solved within the house not bringn him public shame. APC is winning come september 19.”

@Wadayahayawada, “Obaseki is just a misguided politician who allowed himself to be misled by the same people that never supported him in his first election”.

@Adeyanjudeji, “Obaseki should consult Udom and Wike on how to deal with stubborn godfathers with Federal might. There was nothing APC didn’t do in Rivers, they failed. Udom dragged Akpabio like I better pass my neigbour gen.”

@iamjohnsonemma, “I talked about this.
This is the opportunity Wike has been waiting for. Obaseki should use Wike’s election victory playbook. If he goes to PDP, it will be fight to finish. Wike, Udom and the delta guy will join forces.”

@MalachyOdo1, “4 years ago, Ize-Iyamu, according to Adams Oshiomhole, was a drop out who isn’t fit to hold public office while Obaseki was an intellectual whose certificates were unimpeachable. Today Governor Obaseki’s certificates are DEFECTIVE while Ize Iyamu’s are perfect.
Party supremacy.”

@biolakazeem, “If you plan to ever participate in party politics and have a problem with party supremacy, you are not yet ready to even be a politician. Party supremacy suited Obaseki in 2016 and he didn’t complain. It doesn’t suit him in 2020 and suddenly, party supremacy is the problem“.

@CACCO11, “Obaseki should go to any available party and test his popularity. If you have govern a state for 4 years and think you are qualified to do another 4 years, you don’t need a godfather or ‘known party’ to achieve that. Your achievements in the last 4 years should speak for you.”

@Hailfinger1, “Governor Obaseki was qualified to contest on the platform of the @OfficialAPCNg in 2016, but not qualified in 2020. He submitted the same credentials in 2020 as he did in 2016. The only difference is that, he refused to submit to the dictates of Oshiomhole. APC is a big scam.”

@Chudy2003, “The results of court cases around the country particularly the Bayelsa State governorship, have made political parties to scrutinize the candidates more closely than it’s done previously. Time has changed! Candidates can no longer get away with the things they got away with in 2016.”