…Says Edo’ll resist PDP
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has dared his counterparts in Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, and Rivers State, Nyesom Wike to interfere in the forthcoming election in the state and face the consequences.
Speaking to correspondents after his visit to the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, he said the state would not tolerate any form of external interference especially as regards the issue of security.
He accused his counterparts of trying to interfere in the elections by importing militants into the state to foment crisis.
He said: “Rivers and Delta have had a history of violence and deaths in every election. In Rivers in particular, they almost use blood instead of ink pads on Election Day, but in Edo State, we want to have a credible election. These state governors imported people to Edo to cause problems, but they have been arrested and would be prosecuted.
“I want to tell these governors that they should be ashamed of themselves because we are all Chief Security Officers in our states and our job is to ensure the security of lives and property. I want to plead with them that if they want to send anyone to Edo State, they should send their own children so that they can bear the consequences of their fathers’ actions.
“I also want to tell them that a shark may appear powerful because it is inside the creek, but when you place it on dry soil, even babies can feast on it. So Edo is not like the creeks you have in Rivers. We are not in the creeks. If they move those guys who can dive into the water and do the magic to the dry soil of Edo, they would learn what it takes to walk through the desert the hard way. They must not import killers into Edo State, if they do, they would bear the consequences.”
He also said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state is destined to lose the elections because its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, was recently endorsed by former governor Lucky Igbinedion, whom he described as a failure.
He insisted that he was confident that the All Progressives Congress(APC) would win the elections because of what he described as his uncommon performance in the state.
He said: “We have worked for Edo people and there is no ward where you would visit and would not find one standard government project, so we are confident that Edo people would give us their votes.”
Bini palace chiefs divided along party lines
From Tony Osauzo
Ahead of the governorship election, the partisan political leaning of some Benin palace chiefs has started playing out, as some belonging to the Egha Evbo’ Nore in the palace of the Oba of Benin, including business men and professionals on the platform of Nedoghama Nedo, have adopted the PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu for the election.
The adoption reportedly took place at the residence of the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion at the weekend in Benin, where the chiefs also prayed for to God and the ancestors to enable Ize-Iyamu get his heart’s desires.
The Eson of Benin Kingdom, Chief Amos Osunbor who prayed for him on behalf of the Chiefs, said Pastor Ize -Iyamu’s father, late Chief R.O.Ize- Iyamu, a former Esogban of Benin, was a notable member of the Egha Evbo Nore palace society and urged all to support him.
Earlier while addressing the chiefs, Ize- Iyamu said he had to see them to solicit their support and for them to take him as their son.
He regretted that the Benin race has been relegated to the background as far as infrastructure development was concerned, despite the huge allocations that have come to the state in the last eight years.
He promised to develop all parts of the state if elected and vowed never to be an ethnic and clannish governor.
Among some of the chiefs present were the Eson of Benin Kingdom, Chief Amos Osunbor, Chief Douglas Usoh, the Odobaiwu of Benin, Chief Solomon Ogbewe, Uwayoba of Benin, Chief Jackson Igbinovia Amure, the Osagiobariase of Benin.
But in a swift reaction, another high-ranking palace chief, Chief Osaro Idah, denied that Oba Palace chiefs endorsed Ize-Iyamu.
Chief Idah who is the Obazelu of Benin Kingdom, warned those involved not to drag the Palace into murky waters of politics, saying that the report of the purported endorsement was laughable.
Chief Idah who is also the State Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the Chiefs that were involved in the endorsement were card carrying members of the PDP, adding that they were speaking for themselves and that their views do not represent the views of the Benin Palace Chiefs.
According to him, if the Palace must speak on any issue, it was either done through the Iyase of Benin or the Esogban of Benin who is the head of the Benin Forum, describing the so-called Palace adoption of a candidate as a fraud.
Idah disclosed that the Palace was in search of one Arase who went to several villages to tell them that the Palace requested its subjects to vote for the PDP.
He explained that the impostor has been excommunicated from the Palace not as a chief but as a Palace attendant.
“Arase has since been suspended from participating in palace activities. He wore palace dress and put on some beads to be seen as a chief. He started going from village to village to meet the elders to vote for the PDP.
“We have been looking for him to face the full wrath of the law because he is not a chief. I am the Obazelu of Benin Kingdom. I am qualified to know who is the Igiehon of Benin. I deal more with Igiehons and others.
“Once they are caught, the Palace will mete out necessary sanctions. They are not chiefs. They have been hiding since we heard about their activities. Once we catch them, we will hand them over to the police.
“The Palace will never call for support for any candidate. We always pray for the best to emerge. We are going to report to appropriate sections of the Palace to look into such defaults”, Chief Idah said.
APC has lost touch with people –Ex-rep
Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)lawmaker representing Orhiomnwon East constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly, Friday Ogieriakhi,
yesterday asked Nigerians of Edo origin to show the All Progressives Congress (APC) that with its anti-people programmes and policies since May 2015, it has lost touch with the masses.
Addressing party stalwarts and supporters at Urhonigbe in Orhionmwon local government area, Ogieriakhi said apart from the fact that the APC has denied making promises during the campaigns, it has refused to articulate clear policy direction close to two years in office.
The implication of this, he said, is economic recession, collapse of the Naira, high food and commodity prices, increased crime wave and a general disillusionment on the part of Nigerians irrespective of their social status.
“APC has lost touch with reality. They have lost touch with the people. These are the set of people the people of Edo State and the PDP are up against in the September 28, 2016 elections.
They are ready to undermine the rules to score cheap victory. They are the opponents of the people who do not place any premium on integrity.
“From the informal and formal opinion polls that have been conducted even by the APC so far regarding the Edo governorship election, the fact remains that the PDP and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is maintaining a comfortable lead, “ he said.
Calling on the party stalwarts that would end up as agents on election day and the media to be vigilant, the former lawmaker said, “we need to be awake and be on our toes. We need to be vigilant until the last vote is cast on the election day and the result declared”.
In his speech, the PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu appreciated party members across the state and beyond, for their doggedness and resourcefulness in spite of all odds, in the run up to the governorship election.
“We also wish to thank Edo people whose overwhelming support for the PDP in our mutual desire to effect a change of governance for the liberation of our people from the manacles of an insensitive, irresponsible and visionless party, has been our inspiration and encouragement.
“Our profound appreciation also goes to the media which has enabled us to make our voice loud and clear, and our presence felt despite some of them being gagged and censored by the APC and the state governor”, Ize-Iyamu said.
