With this block endorsement from seven leading aspirants who are believed to be loyalists of APC’s national chairman, and immediate past Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Pastor Ize-Iyamu is expected to face Governor Obaseki in the direct party primaries scheduled to hold on June 22 ahead of the actual governorship elections in September.
Among those who have endorsed Ize-Iyamu are Dr Pius Odubu, a former Edo state deputy governor, Engr Chris Ogiemwonyi, a former Minister of State and a top oil and gas expert, Major-General Charles Airhiavbere, a retired Army General who has been a regular combatant in the Edo state governorship race.
Armed with this crucial block support, and encouraged by an army of supporters, pastor Ize-Iyamu was said to have collected his expression of interest for Edo state governorship primaries and nomination forms earlier today at the APC headquarters in Abuja.
Similarly, Governor Godwin Obaseki also reportedly picked an Expression of Interest and nomination forms of the ruling APC for the party’s governorship seat in Edo state. The Governor whose forms were said to have been purchased for him by a group of Edo state people resident in Abuja under the name of Obaseki Mandate Forum(OMF) said he is determined to fight what he described as Oshiomhole’s charade in Abuja.
“Yes, I have issues with the national chairman. Yes,we suspended him from the party in the state because of his anti-party activities but I am not sure the party would sit down and allow him to be the single judge or master, which he is revolving into. Apc is not the sole property of one person or the chairman. APC is a collection of interests”, he added.
On speculations that he might be weighing the option of moving to the rival Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to help actualize his re-election bid, Obaseki said:” Well, they (PDP) are free to open their doors but I have enough doors in my own house(APC). I don’t have any reason to look into another person’s compound because I am comfortable in my home, for now.”
While accusing Oshiomhole of being the mastermind of what he called Abuja charade, he said he would continue to fight on just as the group in Abuja reportedly said it purchased Obaseki’s nomination forms as a gesture for his works in Edo state.
Meanwhile, The New Diplomat’s checks reveal that Ize-Iyamu emerged as consensus candidate in Abuja, last night, after a long meeting of a committee set up by leaders and elders of the APC to screen eight of the contending governorship aspirants including Ize-Iyamu himself for the Edo governorship race.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu, a foundation member of the ACN which metamorphorsed into APC after an ACN-CNC-ANPP, others merger is regarded as a strong political force with massive grassroots following across Edo state, as well as a political player with formidable political resilience, critical dynamics that may have bouyed the committee to tip him for the crucial race. He later served as Secretary to State Government(SSG) of Edo State.
Sources reveal that the main goal of the committee was to help all the eight aspirants reach a common ground and agree on a common position. Further checks reveal that it was against this background that Ize-Iyamu who emerged as the agreed consensus candidate proceeded to obtain the APC’s nomination form earlier today ahead of the party’s primaries actually scheduled to hold on June 22, 2020.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu and incumbent Governor Obaseki will now face each other in next month’s APC’s direct primaries. Recall that Governor Obaseki and his immediate predecessor, who is also the national chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole have been locked in intense power battle for the soul of Edo state.
Last week, the APC national leadership reportedly revealed its adoption of a direct primary model for the Edo and Ondo states governorship party primaries, a development which attracted the reactions of a former national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun who argued that Obaseki should be an given automatic ticket.
But this attracted instant serious criticism and reprimand from loyalists of Oshiomhole who accused Oyegun of acting in a manner that portrays him as Governor Obaseki’s footman and hireling.
Recall that Ize-Iyamu was the Edo PDP candidate at the last governorship election in Edo state, before he returned to the APC where he was previously a foundation member during its formative years as ACN-CPC coalition.
