Edo Guber Polls: Obaseki May Lose Out Over Alleged Certificate Forgery- Party Sources

The raging controversy over the candidature of the incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State in the forthcoming governorship election in the State under the All Progressives Congress (APC) may have taken a new dimension.

It was reliably gathered that Governor Obaseki might be disqualified from the governorship primary of the party in the state over alleged certificate forgery.

We were told that the Governor could not produce his certificates from primary school to the university level.

There is currently a lawsuit against Godwin Obaseki over the allegation.

In the suit filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja, Edobor Williams, Ugbesia Abudu Godwin and Amedu Dauda Anakhu accused the governor of forging his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) certificate in classical studies from the University of Ibadan.

They said that the offence contravenes section 182(1)(i) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which therefore makes Obaseki “not qualified to run or seek the office of the governor of Edo state” in the forthcoming 2020 governorship election.

“I doubt if he’s going to take part in the primary of the APC or that of any other party. That law suit is going to be a content reason for the APC to screen him out and for any other party not to touch him even with a barge pole.

“Obaseki has only affidavits, from primary school to the university. Only affidavits, no single certificate. You think the APC will want to take a risk and gamble with him?

“They have already gotten the certified true copy of Obaseki’s certificates. What he presented is so false. He is in a deep shit,” said a source.

We gathered that with this development, the APC might not even allow Obaseki to contest the primary of the party and that “this might be the end of the road for the Governor as the race to the Governorship election in the south south state hots up.”

It will be recalled that Governor Obaseki is at loggerhead with his estranged godfather, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole over his second term bid.

Oshiomhole, a former governor of the state and the National Chairman of the APC is said to be rooting for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who had contested against Obaseki under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2016.