Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Edo State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2018 election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has again joined this year gubernatorial race after his friends yesterday purchased the party’s nominations and Expression of Interest forms for him.
Also, former state APC Chairman, Col. David Imuse (rtd), has joined the governorship race.
He noted that in spite of the great human and material resources in the state, the government of Governor Godwin Obaseki has not been able to fulfill the legitimate expectations of the people.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Committee of Friends for Pastor Ize-Iyamu, Hon. Emmanuel Momoh, said the forms, which were purchased without his knowledge, would be presented to him in Benin-city, the Edo State capital.
He said: “It was deemed necessary by a team of friends who felt that Pastor Osagie needs to come into the 2024 governorship race, and with the wisdom of God, we are here today on his behalf to procure the forms for him, and we want to let you know that it was done without him making a single contribution.
“This was collectively done by a group of friends, and when we go out of this place, we are also going to go back to Benin-city to officially present the form to him so that he can go ahead and contest in the governorship race of 2024.”
In spite of the fact that he does not enjoy the support of the former state Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Momoh noted that Ize-Iyamu would not only win the primary scheduled to hold on February 17, but also win the governorship election taking place in September this year.
According to him, “Through this medium, we want to also let you know that we are confident by our actions that he is going to win, not only win the primaries, he is going to win the election in September.
“That he is not among the anointed, it is only God that anoints. Let me make it clear to every Nigerian that what was done does not reflect in the constitution of the APC.
“The committee that was set up is not the organ of the APC; there was nothing done, it was an action of one man and who is a voter like me. No single voter has the right to anoint a candidate. We are all members of APC and we stand on that.
“The issue of somebody being anointed does not hold water, and we want to let you know that he is going ahead with the race and whatever has been done can be considered as a sham and not in line with the direction of the National Working Committee of the party.”
On his own, Imuse said: “Edo is bleeding, Edo is in a coma and in a state of severe hemorrhage, so the state needs to be rescued, and we need to reset Edo State.
“Today, my purchase of this form is a clear demonstration to my commitment in resetting Edo State, it is my commitment to rescue our people from the deadly fangs of the political predators and vampires that presently occupies the state Government House in Osadebe Avenue.”
