The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reaffirmed that Mr Godwin Obaseki remained the party’s candidate for the Sept. 10 governorship poll in Edo.

This followed the NWC’s adoption of the report of the party’s Appeals Committee on the governorship primary election conducted in Benin on June 18.

This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Monday by the party’s National Secretary, Alhaji Mai Buni.

The three-member Appeal Committee submitted its report to the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on June 29 in Abuja.

“The Appeal Committee in its report submitted that the Edo State 2016 APC governorship primary was valid.

“While not dismissing the seriousness of the allegations and claims of the petitioners, the issues raised were not compelling as to warrant the cancellation of the primary.

“The Appeal Committee calls on all APC stakeholders in Edo State to put the party’s interest over and above personal interests in ensuring a speedy and amicable reconciliation.”

It stated that the committee recommended that the leadership of the party should adopt diplomacy in reconciling stakeholders in Edo.

It added that the committee also recommended that a high-powered committee should be constituted to mediate between Gov. Adams Oshiomhole and all the aspirants, who participated in the primary election.

The Election Appeal Committee was chaired by Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, with Alhaji Mustapha Salisu and Mrs Ekwy Onyido as members.

The committee had said that it received petitions from Mr Kenneth Imansuagbon and Mr Chris Ogiemwonyi, two out of the 11 aspirants who lost to Obaseki in the primary.

The committee sat from June 21 through June 28.

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has congratulated Mr Godwin Obaseki for emerging as the party’s candidate for the Sept. 10 governorship election in Edo.

Odigie-Oyegun urged party members to close ranks and support the candidate in the lead-up to the election.

“As the party prepares for the governorship election in Edo, I call on all aspirants, party leaders, stakeholders and teeming members of our great party to close ranks and unite as a strong political fighting force.

“We should unite behind the candidature of Mr Godwin Obaseki for a landslide victory at the election.

“The request by the aspirants was that the primary should be transparent, free, fair and credible. This, the party achieved creditably during the exercise.

“Going forward, we should avoid ‘triumphantist’ actions and avoid creating new stresses within the party. We should all seek to reunify the party to face the Sept. 10 election.”

The chairman also congratulated Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Masari-led seven-member Primary Election Committee “for successfully conducting a very transparent, free, fair and credible governorship primaries.’

Similarly, he thanked the Primary Appeals Committee for successfully carrying out its assignment and submitting a report. (NAN)

•Photo shows Godwin Obaseki.