BENIN – Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, one of the front runners of the All Progressives Con­gress (APC) governorship aspirants for the party’s June 22 (tomorrow) direct primaries has described the exit of Governor God­win Obaseki from the party as a big relief to the lead­ers and supporters of the party, and has created the surest route to its victory.

According to him, Obaseki had been trying to deflect from his failures by mischaracter­ising the situation, “but, we will force him to run on his records.”

Ize-Iyamu, who made the assertion while speaking to Sunday Independent in Benin on Saturday, said the governor was making people to believe that he exited the party with his political office holders, including local government chairmen, thinking that it would impact negatively on the APC in the election which, he said was very far from the truth.

“Interestingly, only a hand­ful of people are exiting the party with the governor. The majority of party members and leaders in Edo State are happy to see his back because he has been a major barrier to achieving peace and unity.

“He was going about suspending people, even lo­cal council officials, for not supporting him or adopting his combative stance. All of these people are excited he is out, and his voluntary exit has given room for talks and fence-mending in a conducive atmosphere.

“Therefore, I do not think it is going to have any negative impact at all. On the contrary, it has helped the party to sharpen its focus, put its house together, and rally loyal and committed members ahead of the election.

“Let me make it clear that the disqualification of Gover­nor Godwin Obaseki had noth­ing to do with my entrance or aspiration to represent the party in the election.

“He was disqualified be­cause the Screening Commit­tee of the APC, led by Profes­sor Jonathan Ayuba, could not reconcile the inconsistencies in his academic credentials.

“Even, he did not appear able to. We were all witness­es to how a similar situation cost the party dearly in Bayel­sa State, and as they say, once bitten, twice shy.
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“The leadership of the par­ty learnt from the situation and insisted on a painstaking, objective screening of aspi­rants without any form of bias or prejudice.

“We reasonably were not willing to take risks, not the least because of a man who was neck-deep in anti-party activities, unpopular in the state, and nearly jeopardized the status of the party with his incompetence and intolerance.

“I had, and still have, no problems going up against Godwin Obaseki.

“On the contrary, he has been the one running away from a fair contest. Everyone saw what happened in Decem­ber 2019 when the Edo state chapter of the APC organised a rally to welcome me back ceremoniously.

“You saw how Governor Obaseki abused the powers of his office, passed emergency laws banning rallies and other legal gatherings, and deployed both security agents and thugs to deny our members and fol­lowers access to the event. He tried to block my return because he was afraid of me and my followers”.

On the primaries, Ize- Iyamu said: “I am relaxed and confident. My campaign organisation has worked hard to engage and convince party members across the entire state to support my bid to represent the party in the governorship election in September and we have made tremendous progress.

“Fortunately for us, we have a lot of party leaders and mem­bers across the 192 wards who have not only endorsed my candidacy, but have also con­tributed to our effort through various means because they believe in me and know I can deliver on what I say.

“That has instilled a good level of confidence as we ap­proach the election. I am in high spirits and hopeful of a victorious outcome.”

On whether he envisaged any stiff opposition, having emerged as the party’s con­sensus candidate before now, he declared, “Screening Com­mittee gave the nod to three aspirants, Dr. Pius Odubu, Mr. Osaro Obazee, and my­self, to contest in the primary election.

Naturally, because only one candidate can emerge at the end of the day, we are all making our case to members of the party, though we share the same goal of ensuring that our party, the APC, wins in September election.

“Luckily, Mr. Osaro Obazee has stepped down and de­clared support for me ahead of the primary election. I am grateful to him because his endorsement, added to the many others we have received recently, are great boosts and will definitely make a differ­ence.

“Ultimately, challenge or not, right now in the APC, we are united and focused, and I am hopeful that this will not change irrespective of the outcome on June 22. We will continue collaborations and collective actions premised on mutual respect and complete devotion to the will of the peo­ple through party supremacy.”

https://www.independent.ng/obasekis-exit-from-apc-a-big-relief-surest-route-to-partys-victory-ize-iyamu/

Man of God.Put ur trust in God u no go gree.All u hope on is rigging rigging.Mchew thief

Hmmm

I don't own the rights, but this is from the horse's mouth.

Ize-Iyamu can’t be trusted with govt treasury – Oshiomhole

ON AUGUST 29, 20163:59 PMIN NEWS

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has urged the people of the State to vote for Mr. Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress and not the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, saying the PDP candidate, from his antecedents, cannot be trusted with public funds.

Addressing various traders’ associations in Benin City, Monday, Oshiomhole said his distrust for Ize-Iyamu with public funds prevented him from appointing the PDP candidate after he was re-elected as Governor in 2012.

According to Oshiomhole, “I didn’t appoint Ize-Iyamu because of his past record, I would not be comfortable to put government money in his hand, that is why I kept him completely out of government, I didn’t even give him a board appointment. He was part of the government that looted Edo state treasury. Don’t put the key to your kitchen in the hands of someone you don’t trust.

“Usually, a governor appoints the Director-General of his campaign after his election, but I didn’t appoint him into Government because I have his records, I do not trust him. You must know who you can use for what.

“When Godwin Obaseki says he will create 200,00 jobs, he knows what he is saying and he meant it; the road is already there to those 200,000 jobs.

Ize-iyamu should have it in mind..that any man that beats his wife,cos of sidechick..will also beat the sidechick when she becomes his wife.

How this man become a pastor is what i dont understand. Why are redeem pastors always controversial?

FlordFlorez:
How this man become a pastor is what i dont understand. Why are redeem pastors always controversial?

what is your inconvenience with him being a pastor?