The All Progressives Congress says it does not need approval from Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to hold its governorship primary in the state.
The Secretary, Edo APC Primary Election Committee, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, made this known on Sunday evening while featuring on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
The party’s primary is slated for Monday, June 22 ahead of the September 19 governorship election in the state.
The APC and Obaseki have been at loggerheads with the party disqualifying the governor and the latter defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that Obaseki said while other political parties conducting primary elections in the state have notified his government of their readiness to comply with the state COVID-19 guidelines, the APC was yet to do.
But speaking on the programme about the APC’s preparation for tomorrow’s primary, Bashiru said, “We are conducting this primary in line with the Covid-19 regulations of the Edo State Government.
“For instance, in each of our polling centres in 192 wards, there will not be a congregation of more than 18 people including observers and our presiding officers at any point in time. The voting will be in line with Covid regulations.
“We have been able to study the regulations. We are a law-abiding party. We will not contravene the Covid Regulations even though it was intended thinking there is no way around it in order to disallow our party from conducting a peaceful primary.”
When asked whether the APC has obtained a permit for tomorrow’s primary from the state government, Bashiru said, “I have a Ph.D. in law and I say with all sense of modesty that I have studied the regulations. The regulations only require anybody that intends to have a political gathering in excess of 20 people to seek permission.
“The regulations did not require approval from anybody. It’s only when you are doing what is outside what has been stipulated that you require approval.
“We have met the leaders of security agencies. We have shared our regulations with them.
“Governor Obaseki cannot be the one making the law, interpreting the law, and implementing the law. We read the guidelines very well and we structured our guidelines to make our primary within the ambit of the law.
“So, we don’t need his approval. There is nothing in the regulations that says when you are having a gathering of less than 20 people, you need an approval.
“Our guidelines which I signed with the authority of my Chairman, Governor Hope Uzodinma, stipulate that at any point in time, we should not have more than 18 people at any ward.”