From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may have ended the controversy over the Edo State governorship primary election as it graciously adopted the Appeals Committee report, endorsing Godwin Obaseki as the party’s flag-bearer.
APC National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, who made the disclosure on yesterday, said that the NEC led by the Party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun unanimously adopted the Appeal Committee report.
The three-member Appeal Committee had on Wednesday June 29, 2016 submitted its report to the APC National Chairman at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja following petitions received by two aspirants, Barrister Kenneth Imansuagbon and Engineer Chris Ogiemwonyi.
The party’s chief scribe noted that the Appeal Committee in its report submitted that the Edo primaries were valid, adding that 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 election.
He further urged all APC stakeholders in Edo State to put the party’s interest over and above personal interests in ensuring a speedy and amicable reconciliation.
According to the Appeal Committee recommendation; “The leadership of the party should step up diplomacy in trying to reconcile stakeholders in Edo State. We also urged the National Chairman of the party, His Excellency, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, to consolidate on his involvement in reaching out to all aggrieved parties.
“We equally recommend that a high-powered committee be set up by the party to reach out and mediate between the Edo State Governor, His Excellency, Adams Oshiomhole and all aspirants who participated in the primary election,” it noted.
Meanwhile, the party’s national chairman has congratulated Obaseki on his emergence as the APC flag-bearer for the September 10, 2016 governorship election.
Odigie-Oyegun also congratulated the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari-led seven-member Election Committee for successfully conducting a very transparent, free, fair and credible governorship primaries in Edo State.
He also thanked the Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele-led three-member Edo State governorship Election Appeal Committee for successfully carrying out its assignment and submitting a report.
His words: “As the party prepares for the September 10, 2016 governorship election in Edo State, 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 behind the candidature of Mr. Godwin Obaseki for a landslide victory at the forthcoming Edo State governorship election.
“The request by the aspirants was that the Edo State APC governorship election primaries should be transparent, free, fair and credible.”
This, the party achieved creditably during the primaries.
Going forward, we should avoid triumphalist actions and avoid creating new stresses within the party. We should all seek to reunify the party to face the September 10, 2016 governorship election,” he noted.
UPN, OPC endorse Ize-Iyamu
From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Ahead of the September election, the Edo State chapter of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) has endorsed the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, as UPN’s governorship candidate. Also, the socio-cultural group, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), in Edo State has equally declared support for Ize-Iyamu, stating that its members would henceforth provide security around Pastor Ize-Iyamu and his team as they take their campaign to the 18 local government areas of the state.
The two groups declared support for the gubernatorial ambition of the former secretary to Edo State government at the weekend when they paid him a solidarity visit at his Benin residence.
Edo State chairman of the UPN and leader of the OPC in the state, Prince Sylvester Eweka, who led the two groups, said Ize-Iyamu towered above other governorship candidates in the race to succeed incumbent Governor Adams Oshiomhole, in terms of agenda, experience, popularity amongst others, adding that the two groups would vigorously campaign for him.
Responding, Ize-Iyamu disclosed that his first experience in politics was in the defunct UPN under the tutelage of the late Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in the 1980s.
He charged the groups to be vigilant in the days ahead as, according to him, a lot of things would be done by some mischievous elements in a bid to thwart the desire of the Edo people.
He promised to spread development to every part of the state and engage unemployed youths in Edo State in gainful ventures.
My running mate comes with lot of experience -Obaseki
From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Edo State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Godwin Obaseki has said that the nomination of Mr Philip Shuaibu as his running mate by the party caucus in the state, is one of the best things to happen to the youths of the state.
He expressed joy that Shuaibu who is currently the member representing Etsako Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, will bring his wealth of experience to bear on the task to take the state to the next level.
“After consultation with the party caucus and leadership, I have accepted Philip Shuaibu as my running mate. He comes with a lot of political experience, having served as Majority Leader of the state House of Assembly and a member of the committee on Works in the House of Representatives. He belongs to this generation of politicians who will be joining me in this effort to take Edo to another height.
“I am happy with the decision of the party and Shuaibu being somebody that I have worked with all these years, understands the politics and most importantly as a young man, our youths have where to run to. I am glad I will be having somebody like him around to help provide the services needed by our people.
“We are on a mission to consolidate on the huge successes made by the Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led administration. We all have been part of it and I believe we know and understand better what our good people of Edo State need more than the PDP who wants to come and destroy what we have built. But God will not allow them” , Obaseki said while reacting to Shuaibu’s nomination as his running mate.
Meanwhile, people with disability in the state have backed the aspiration of the APC candidate, saying that his love for the youths of the state will help check unemployment in the state.
The chairman of Edo State Cripple Association, Pedro Ken Ogbebor, declared yesterday that people with disability in the state are backing Obaseki due to how he had assisted in uplifting their lives. “We know as disables we must participate in this election because our lives are at stake.
And all of us both in Edo South here and North are backing Obaseki. We are also happy that he remembered our youths by picking Philip Shuaibu who also has impacted on our lives. We will work for them and APC until victory is assured”, he said.
Ize-Iyamu did not make Oshiomhole governor – Eribo
The claim by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu that they made Comrade Adams Oshiomhole governor of Edo State was yesterday described as untrue and laughable.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu, a factional governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic (PDP) in the September 10 gubernatorial election in Edo State, had while flagging off his campaign in Edo North last weekend, said he and others gave Oshiomhole the platform to become governor.
But reacting to Ize-Iyamu’s claim yesterday, a member of the Edo State House of Assembly, Mr Crosby Eribo dismissed the claim and challenged Ize-Iyamu to tell Edo people what “chased him out of APC if he claims he is that powerful.
“ Ize-Iyamu is too small to compare himself with Oshiomhole who has seen it all both as a labour leader, an activist and governor.
“All of us were in PDP then when Lucky Igbinedion was governor, Ize Iyamu was just like Personal Assistant to Lucky, so how can a PA make a labour leader governor. “Oshiomhole came to Edo State as a popular labour leader who everybody respects in this country. And when he came he had to consult to know which political party he will use its platform to run for election.
“He was the beautiful bride then that every political party wanted to associate with including the then ruling PDP. I was three time local government chairman and people like Ize-Iyamu are even too small to talk then. Every Edo indigene celebrated the fact that Oshiomhole agreed to run for governorship and as expected, everybody wanted to associate with him.
“So, it is funny when we hear him always run his mouth that he made Oshiomhole governor. Ize-Iyamu left APC after he lost common Local Government congress in Orhiomwon. If he is now the Mr Fix it, why did he not fix his people as executives in the Local Government where he hails from.”
Now he wants to be governor, let us see how he can deliver himself. He should stop talking what he does not know, if Lucky Igbinedion is talking, we will understand and not him”, Eribo said.
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