By Gbenga Abulude (Politics and General Desk)
The Campaign Organisation of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has denied reports claiming that the All Progressives Party (APC) governorship candidate in the just concluded Edo election, has appealed to his rival in the poll, Governor Godwin Obaseki to return to the APC.
The campaign Council which noted that the video being used to spread the falsehood was posted 3 months ago, urged members of the press to ensure due diligence in reporting events arising from the concluded Edo election.
A national Newspaper, had reported on Thursday that Pastor Ize-Iyamu had on a television broadcast, Wednesday night, urged Obaseki to return to APC. This comes as there have been reports in the media claiming the Caretaker and National Reconciliation Committee of the APC, chaired by Yobe Governor, Mai Mala Buni and some APC chieftains have been attempting to bring Obaseki back to APC, after his re-election victory on the PDP platform. Mr Obaseki has, however, stated that he has no intention of returning back to the APC.
In the newspaper, Pastor Ize-Iyamu was quoted to have said: “We are going to talk to everybody; we are going to bring everybody back. I want to salute my brother, the governor. I will like to appeal to him to return to the party. In every family, we have disagreement.
“Let it not be said that it was this disagreement that pushed him out. I made that mistake before and I have come to realise that it was a grievous error and I will not want him as a senior brother to make the same mistake.
“I will like to appeal to him to set aside his anger and come back. In APC, he is recognised as a leader and it would be difficult for him to be recognised as a leader in the new party he is going.”
But reacting to the claim, the Director of Communication and Media of the Osagie Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organisation, Mr John Mayaki, said it never happened. He said “We warned several times that the media should beware of fabrications from Obaseki and the PDP camp, but they did not listen.
“That is why they have reported that the election was free and fair, and that is why they have said our candidate appealed to Obaseki to come back to APC. The video in reference is from three months ago, not after the election but doctored by Governor Obaseki media handlers to seek undue legitimacy, he disclosed.”
Mr Mayaki also wondered if the media was being sponsored by Obaseki and the PDP to spread falsehood and deliberate lies against the APC and its governorship candidate, pastor Ize-Iyamu.
He queried: “Pastor Ize-Iyamu was reported in the stories as speaking from Abuja, but it was the Benin reporters that covered the story. Were the reporters transported to Abuja? Do these media agencies actually believe the stories they carry?
“Obaseki and the PDP have a way of leaking false news to the media and the media has to be sensitive and professional in receiving these news.”
In a related development, Mayaki also raised the alarm that there was a fake twitter account purportedly belonging to Pastor Ize-Iyamu, which has been disseminating false information. He appealed to the media to disregard it and verify all their information before passing them on.
He said, “I only wish the media had been more professional during the elections; they were not and what is done is done. They don’t know how violent and anti-democratic it was in several parts of Edo State, including Egor in Benin City, and so they reported that the elections were free and fair.”
It would be recalled that Obaseki won the Edo governorship election last Saturday, having garnered maximum votes in 15 local councils out of 18. The APC rejected the results of the election accusing PDP of allegedly jacking up the numbers and intimidating their supporters from voting. The APC says it is till weighing various options and choices open to it and would make its decision public at the appropriate time.
