From Tony Osauzo

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has asked Governor Adams Oshiomhole to refund the billions of naira he collected from former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Governor Lucky Igbinedion.
In a statement by his media unit, Pastor Ize-Iyamu said he should do that immediately since he is now talking about refunding the N700 million Jonathan gave to Edo PDP during the 2015 presidential election.
He stated this during the presentation of a book entitled, “Breach Of Trust: An eyewitness account of political events in Edo State before and under Adams Oshiomhole’s watch, ’’ written by Oshiomhole’s former Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Mr. Orobosa Omo-Ojo.
While defending the money Edo State PDP received from former President Jonathan — during the 2015 election, Ize-Iyamu said he had explained to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he never benefited from the N700 million given to the state chapter of the party, saying the record of how the fund was disbursed is already with the EFCC.
He described Oshiomhole’s action as hypocritical, adding that he was also a beneficiary of such fund in the past.
According to the PDP governorship candidate, “Now that Oshiomhole is talking about refunding the money former President Goodluck Jonathan gave to Edo State PDP — during the presidential election, he should also refund the billions of naira he collected from Jonathan in 2012 during the presidential election. Oshiomhole collected the money from Jonathan and worked against his then party, Action Congress of Nigeria in that election. He betrayed his party.
“He should also refund over a billion naira the former governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion gave to him during the 2007 governorship election in Edo State. It a well-known fact that it was Chief Igbinedion who brought him into ACN and gave him money he used for the election.’’
Ize-Iyamu added that Oshiomhole and his ‘puppet governorship candidate’ in the September 10 election, Godwin Obasekei, could no longer be trusted by Edo people again because they had betrayed everybody who helped them into offices in the past.
“Look around Oshiomhole, everybody who worked for him in the past has deserted him, because he betrayed them. He has betrayed teachers, judiciary workers, Okada riders, market women, political associates and Edo people in general. He can never be trusted again’’, he added.
On his part, the author of the book, Mr. Orobosa Omo-Ojo, while welcoming invited guests to the presentation of the book, which took place at the University of Benin, Edo State, said, damaging relationship is a little price to pay when Oshiomhole is faced with a life-and-death political threat.
The immediate past commissioner of Transport in Edo added, ‘’Sun Tzu’s approach to warfare, where deception is vital, plays a significant role in Oshiomhole’s administration — to him all is fair and as a result, Dennis Osadebey Avenue has become a killing field for truth and a breeding ground for deception.’’


Obaseki’s victory shall be overwhelming —Okonoboh, Edo Speaker

By Ojieva Ehiosun

As the battle for the governorship seat gathers momentum, Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Dr. Justin Okonoboh, has said that the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki over his PDP opponent will be overwhelming.
He stated this while addressing a team of party supporters in his constituency, saying that the victory will not only retire some political heavy weights of the opposition, but will send the entire party to extinction.
According to him: “With the successful reconciliation of all the purported aggrieved members of the party after the primaries, the opposition party is in for a big trouble  We are currently working day and night to ensure that we have resounding victory over the PDP at the September election.”
“From the massive support we are getting from Edo people, I’m very convinced that Godwin Obaseki will have an easy ride over Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the PDP.
“For Godwin Obaseki, I believe in him, I know he has the required qualities needed to govern this state. He is a man that will do things consciously that would better the lot of the majority”.


…Family disowns him, urges support for Godwin

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Meanwhile,  the Obaseki family of Benin Kingdom, headed by the retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Otutu Obaseki, yesterday distanced itself from the activities of Pedro Obaseki, and pit its tent with the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Godwin Obaseki, who the family resolved to back.
In a statement signed by Mr William Obaseki, the family described the action of Pedro as embarrassing, adding that the family will soon meet to decide their next line of action.
Apparently miffed by Pedro Obaseki’s defection to the PDP and his declaration of support for the governorship candidate of the PDP, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the family said: “we wish to inform the general public that the family dis-associate themselves from the mischievous actions of Pedro Obaseki.
“We hereby reaffirm Godwin Enogheghase Obaseki as the only recognized candidate who has the blessings of the head of Obaseki Ogbeideoyoo family, Chief Justice Andrew Otutu Obaseki, Justice of the Supreme Court (rtd) and the Obaseki of Benin Kingdom for the September 10, 2016 governorship election.
“And we urged all Edo sons and daughters to support him so that he can take Edo State to the next level. Nobody should be distracted with the activities of Pedro, our blessings remain with Godwin and God willing he will win”, the statement said.


Ize-Iyamu receives Pedro Obaseki to PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has commended a former All Progressives Congress((APC)  gubernatorial aspirant, Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki, for joining forces with him to wrest power from his former party.  In a statement by the Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organisation yesterday, the PDP candidate made the remark while formally receiving Pedro Obaseki into the party.
The former gubernatorial aspirant who is a relative of  the APC gubernatorial candidate, Mr Godwin Obaseki had joined the PDP last week.
According to the statement, Pedro Obaseki who joined the PDP alongside his supporters said he endorsed Ize-Iyamu because he realised that the PDP governorship candidate is the ‘best candidate’ for the election. He noted that his programmes for Edo State tallied with that of Ize-Iyamu.
“I will rather support my brother, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu than go with Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s puppet candidate who is still going about with pampers. “I will rather support Pastor Ize-Iyamu who represents the collective aspiration of Edo People than support Godwin Obaseki who is being promoted by external political and economic investors,” Pedro Obaseki was quoted to have said.


Edo market women endorse Obaseki
The governorship aspiration of Mr. Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress (APC) got a boost yesterday, as market women across the three senatorial districts of Edo State, endorsed him for the September 10 election.
They said they were convinced that he will continue the developmental strides of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
Responding to the endorsement which took place at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, Obaseki, who was filled with joy, assured women in the state to expect economic and human transformation in one year of his administration.
He promised to empower and create more industries where the women will serve as major marketers of their products, just as he also promised to provide soft loans for market women across the state to enhance their businesses and improve their standard of living.
The APC governorship hopeful thanked the women for making Oshiomhole a life member of their association, assuring them of his plan to reconstruct markets with health centres across the state.
The President General of the Market women, Mrs Blacky Omoregie had earlier urged Mr Obaseki to continue with the developmental projects of governor Oshiomhole, saying that the reconstruction of markets across the state would ensure the growth of businesses.
In his speech, Governor Oshiomhole thanked the women for the support given him so far, saying that “Obaseki will not disappoint you because he knows the problems of our state. We cannot go back to Egypt, PDP has no future for the youths and the women. You gave them opportunity for ten years but rather than creating wealth, they pocketed our money for their families”.