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Tag: Ize-Iyamu

  • ‘Ize-Iyamu’s allegation of Ambode’s presence in Edo reckless’

    ‘Ize-Iyamu’s allegation of Ambode’s presence in Edo reckless’

    The Lagos State Government yesterday dismissed allegations made by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and his Kaduna State counterpart, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, were in Edo State for the election.

    In a statement signed by the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, the government described the allegations as reckless and disgraceful.

    Ayorinde said Governor Ambode was presently overseas for an official assignment and had no business being in Edo State on Election Day.

    He said: “The Lagos State Governor served as the chairman Campaign Council constituted by the All Progressives Congress  and his duty ended 24 hours before the election, because no campaign was supposed to hold 24 hours to the election and having completed his assignment, which included appearing with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Grand Rally in Edo State earlier in the month, Governor Ambode has no reason to return to Edo State on election day and for this sort of lie to have been peddled by a candidate who is supposed to be a pastor, is reckless and disgraceful.”

    Ayorinde said the Lagos State governor had clearly enumerated his position on the election during the Grand Finale of the campaign when he said that like Lagos where continuity has moved perfectly well, Edo State also deserves continuity in governance.

    He said: “That message has been passed and has been accepted by majority of Edo indigenes and therefore there would not be any need for the governor to return to Edo on Election Day. The general public and security operatives are hereby advised to ignore the desperate lies of Pastor Ize-Iyamu.”

  • Resist rigging, Ize-Iyamu urges voters

    Resist rigging, Ize-Iyamu urges voters

    The Edo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has advised eligible voters to protect their votes and resist rigging at the poll.

    Urging officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to do the right things by conducting a free, fair and acceptable election, the PDP candidate said that those who have planned to manipulate the election will be disgraced.

    He also advised the electorate not to allow themselves to be insulted by Governor Adams Oshiomhole  through any inducement, saying the APC-led government that had subjected them to unbearable hardship in nearly eight years cannot offer them money or rice just to purchase their conscience.

    Ize-Iyamu said he was aware of the maltreatment of his supporters by the APC government.

    He said: ‘’The September 28 gubernatorial election in Edo State is, in one respect, a contest between one man(Ize-Iyamu), who has always been in the tick of the politics of the state and Godwin Obaseki, a neophyte who found favour with a very discredited out-going governor.

    ‘’From a studied interest in the politics—over the past close to 30 years, Ize-Iyamu comes across as resilient as they go, and his understanding of the pervasive development challenges is awe-inspiring. He is a true leader with human feelings.

    ‘’That is why, on the surface, Godwin Obaseki, the green horn that he is, even in terms of party affiliation,  is a mismatch. And he is being propelled by Oshiomhole, whose penchant for arbitrariness in his handling of the state’s treasury makes this propulsion weighty.’’

    Accusing Oshiomhole of acting as if he’s the one contesting the election, Ize-Iyamu said that in a way, he’s really the one contesting the election because he naturally wants someone to cover his dirty and criminal tracks after November 12, adding that it will never happen.

    ‘’The people of Edo have concerns over Godwin Obaseki, not only because of his questionable business dealings with Oshiomhole but, more importantly, his inability to account successfully for his academic qualifications’’, the PDP candidate added.

     

     

    ‘’Oshiomhole and Obaseki have become huge liabilities in the state because of their track record of hurting people with their insincerity, wickedness and ruthless sense of betrayal. Every known prominent people and others have had a taste of these traits.’’

    Ize-Iyamu added that the only answer to the present sorry state of Edo State is for good men and women to punish the APC on September 28 –during the governorship election, for subjecting them to abject and gloomy poverty in nearly years.

    In line with best established global practice, Pastor Ize-Iyamu promised to immediately roll out a basic model of a long-term people-centre economic development and empowerment plan to right the wrong of Oshiomhole-led government after November 12.

    ‘’Our SIMPLE Agenda will break and reverse the deteriorating prosperity of our youths, women, and pensioners. Under the present APC government we are in the wrong track and we surely need to change the change. Never again shall we allow APC to deceive us’’, Ize-Iyamu stated.

     

     

  • Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu on students’ hot seat

    Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu on students’ hot seat

    Students of the Benson Idahosa University (BIU) have hosted the two leading candidates in the September 28 governorship elections in Edo State. During the interaction, Godwin Obaseki (APC) and Osagie Ize-Iyamu explained how they would engage youths if elected. EVERISTUS ONWUZURIKE (Corps member, NYSC Benin City) reports.

    For hours, the two leading candidates in the September 28 Edo State governorship election literally sat on the hot seat, fielding questions from students and explaining how they would govern the state if elected.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, were hosted to an interactive forum with the theme: “Why me”.

    The event was organised by International Leadership Idea Exchange (ILIX), a non-governmental group at the Benson Idahosa University (BIU) in Benin City.

    The candidates shared their manifestoes, defending why they should be voted as the next Edo governor. The governorship hopefuls answered questions on health, security, human resource development, job creation and industrialisation and education, among others. They also unveiled their programmes for the youth.

    For Obaseki, it is time to harness the energy of the youth for irreversible development. He said his administration would engage the youth in productive ventures, promising to create 200,000 jobs through his agricultural programmes.

    Obaseki said his experience as a member of the economic team of Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s administration gave him the privilege to know how best to engage the youth.

    He said: “As a wealth management expert for over 30 years, I promise to create over 200,000 jobs through agriculture and its value chain. Through this, the state would become the driver of the country’s food production if I emerge the governor.

    “Many people would generate wealth by keying into our value chain development of oil palm, cassava, cocoa, grains, rubber, fruits and vegetables.Our plan for the next four years is to create jobs that will be adequate to make the youth dream of better future.”

    If elected, Obaseki, an investment banker, said his administration would ensure smooth running of government, because he already had a blueprint of what the state should look like, saying: “We need to continue to keep Edo State as the hub of quality education.”

    He added that his government would make the state an investment destination by creating an enabling environment for public private partnership (PPP).

    “There is so much we have done and we need someone who understands the terrain to continue,” he said.

    On his own part, Ize-Iyamu said he was in the race because of his deep concerns about happenings in the state. He hailed the university for fostering democratic practice in the state, saying he was more than qualified to govern the state with his wealth of experience.

    He said: “I am not contesting because I am concerned or passionate, but because I also have the experience to change things for better in the state.”

    On job creation, he said investments in industries would create jobs for the youth. He said the administration is not creative in creating jobs for the youth, noting that the state depended on payments of taxes and allocations from Abuja only.

    He assured that how to repair the poor condition of the road that leads to the university would be his priority if elected, promising to complete the road within his first tenure.

    “The more attractive we make Benson Idahosa University, the better it is for the state, and we will make BIU road a priority,” he said

    Ize-Iyamu promised a state that would be different from the present situation, saying he would right the wrongs perpetrated by Oshiomhole’s government.

    The PDP candidate said the state’s Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) would improve through his strategic investment programme, adding that his administration would discourage multiple and increased taxation.

    He said his administration would invest in a film village and railway station, promising to expand the operation of Benin Airport to make it to be of international standard.

    The BIU President, Bishop Faith Emmanuel Idahosa, who moderated the event, said the forum was to make students politically knowledgeable to think and address issues, rather than casting vote based on sentiment. He said the event would improve democratic practice in the state.

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Ernest Izevbigie, hailed the candidates for honoring that university’s invitation and promised to work with them in the future.

    ILIX is a platform established by Bishop Idahosa to bring together thought leaders, industry experts, practitioners, researchers, and young innovators to dialogue and proffer solutions to national and global issues.

  • Fayose, Ize-Iyamu and Edo guber election

    There must be some extraordinary milestones in the journey of a people at which point their leaders periodically pause for deeper reflections; it is expected that at such moments, that those invested with the responsibility of guiding the destiny of their communities will abstain, even temporarily , from the seduction of political theatres, that no responsible leader would deliberately seek to overheat the political landscape, to saturate civil discourse with mendacious tales manufactured to mislead the electorate and, consequently ignite civil disorder. Such a minimum conduct should be a binding obligation especially in circumstances where the situation could trigger a state of insecurity in the polity. After all, one of the foremost tasks of governance is the protection of lives and property of the citizenry.

    Regrettably, it seems that such a refined paradigm of humane contemplation in public affairs is far beyond the horizon of the likes of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State. Fayose, who has become a noxious embarrassment to Ekiti and even to some members of his own political party, recently, swam across Rivers Ogbese and Osei to pollute the waters of Edo State. As events relating to security reports and, consequently, hints of possible postponement of Edo State’s 2016 Governorship Election were unfolding, Fayose immediately took on the role of a harbinger for doomsday. On the fateful Wednesday, September 7 , the news ‘breaking ‘ all over Edo State that grave security reports available to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Police could necessitate a change in the gubernatorial election date from Saturday, September 10 to some weeks later.

    As most responsible leaders in alliance with peace and democracy-loving people of Edo State patiently waited to comprehend the rapidly evolving scenarios from INEC and the security agencies, the all-knowing ‘Fayoses’ of the world had jumped on the drama stage, beating the drum of tension.  Fayose along with some other famously discredited PDP voices engaged in jaundiced analysis of the unfolding situation and offered lugubrious conclusions. In his desperate quest for central relevance in the 2019 national PDP calculus, Fayose completely threw caution to the winds, not giving any thoughts to the consequential harm that his comments could inflict on the polity.

    He hastily told the media that the postponement of Edo election was an APC plot for the purpose of perfecting its rigging strategy. How can a state chief executive make such a potential crisis- generating statement without a shred of evidence? While it is a disappointing conduct, the theatrics is not totally surprising. The governor with apparent psychopathic penchant for verbal recklessness and shameless demagoguery further said that the APC was about to destroy the ‘’ legacy of free, fair and credible electoral process bequeathed on the country by the PDP’’. On what planet has Fayose been dwelling in the past 16 years? For anyone to so endow the PDP with the attributes of qualitative and virtuous democracy is the zenith of historical impunity. Coincidentally , the ‘Fayoses’ of our polity wallowed in the planet of impunity for decades until some wise ‘Asiwajus’ and other committed national patriots created an unprecedented African model of responsible opposition alliance called the APC.

    Governor Fayose and the likes of Edo State factional PDP governorship candidate Osagie Ize-Iyamu are engaged in hallucinatory flights and hoping to block the surging wave of progressive history. Ize –Iyamu, former Chief of Staff and later Secretary to the State Government in the remarkable fiasco called Lucky Igbinedion’s regime (1999-2007), is trying to garner political credits by imputing murky motives for the postponement of the Saturday 10 election. Ize-Iyamu ought to understand that the attempt by the PDP to manufacture conspiracy tales out of the postponement cannot displace the authentic narratives of the wreckage of the vandalized lives and economy that he (Ize-Iyamu) left behind as ‘’co-governor’’ under Lucky Igbinedion.

    Edo voters will not suddenly abandon the issues of deficit of trust for PDP; their memory will not suddenly be wiped out on how their salaries and pensions lagged in arrears and situations of whole communities cut off from neighbours during raining season due to poor state of the roads. Their reflection will remain vibrant on how their children were cramped into dilapidating structures called schools under Ize-Iyamu-Igbinedion government and how such major assets like the Bendel Brewery, Bendel Feed and Flour Mills as well as Bendel Line were either used to obtain huge loans which was rechannelled to private pockets or sold to enrich some individuals. That was the past under PDP and Ize-Iyamu is yet to honestly explain how the future will be different under his government.

    Therefore, the attempt to make the postponement of the election the central issue for the voters is an illusory political adventure that will end up in a landslide defeat of the PDP on September 28.

    It appears that Fayose has forged a blood pact with Ize-Iyamu in the effort to destabilize Edo State since both are allegedly inspiring disorderly reaction to INEC’s decision to postpone the election.

    It is understandable that both Fayose and Ize-Iyamu will see common ground in their approach to INEC’s decision; the two PDP members are beneficiaries of the odiously unforgettable culture of impunity under former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. Fayose is yet to give credible accounting for the billions of naira allegedly plundered from Nigeria’s security vote and, smuggled through Akure airport into the governor’s custody. Some of the loot was supposedly funnelled into Fayose’s re-election bid in 2014. And this is the same Fayose who is now alleging that the APC was destroying the legacy of democracy because INEC gave considerate weight to serious intelligence estimate by the DSS and the Police regarding Edo election.

    Is the Dasuki-Fayose four billion naira mafia-like money laundering operation the standard practice for the kind of democratic legacy that our nation should preserve? Like Fayose, Ize-Iyamu is yet to comprehensively respond to allegations of an estimated one-billion naira, also from ‘’ Dasuki’s Central Bank ATM ‘’. The people of Edo State are still left with puzzling questions about the exact role of the factional PDP candidate as the identified principal character in the approximate one billion naira scandal. It must be said that Fayose has no redeeming political value just like Ize-Iyamu, both of them are birds of identical plumage and would therefore flock on similar flight of political disaster.

    With the postponement of the election, (protesting) parents of children scheduled to write WAEC initially on the same date felt some sense of relief for their children. APC was ready for the election hence the party held it’s very successful grand finale rally at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium on Tuesday September 6 with an unprecedented crowd of party supporters and APC leaders across the country in attendance.

    From the ward level to the senatorial apex, the organizational machinery of the party was in top gear and calibrated for overwhelming victory. APC governorship candidate Godwin Obaseki however told supporters in a message that while he was formidably confident that APC would have indisputably emerged victorious on that Saturday, he does not wish to put the” lives of voters and the general population at risk for any reason’’.

    For Ize-Iyamu and Fayose, it seems that they would rather jettison the advice of the security agencies and ‘bully’ INEC to hold a poorly-supervised election with NYSC members refusing to cooperate because of deficient security arrangements.

    September 28 is here already;  the trajectory of the Rainbow of victory steadily points in the direction of the APC, none of these hallucinatory somersaults by the Ize-Iyamus and Fayoses will change the resolute determination of Edo people to vote for a continuing energetic march on the terrain of progress. There will be no going back to the years of bondage under the PDP.

  • Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu on students’ hot seat

    Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu on students’ hot seat

    Students of the Benson Idahosa University (BIU) have hosted the two leading candidates in the September 28 governorship elections in Edo State. During the interaction, Godwin Obaseki (APC) and Osagie Ize-Iyamu explained how they would engage youths if elected. EVERISTUS ONWUZURIKE (Corps member, NYSC Benin City) reports.

    For hours, the two leading candidates in the September 28 Edo State governorship election literally sat on the hot seat, fielding questions from students and explaining how they would govern the state if elected.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, were hosted to an interactive forum with the theme: “Why me”.

    The event was organised by International Leadership Idea Exchange (ILIX), a non-governmental group at the Benson Idahosa University (BIU) in Benin City.

    The candidates shared their manifestoes, defending why they should be voted as the next Edo governor. The governorship hopefuls answered questions on health, security, human resource development, job creation and industrialisation and education, among others. They also unveiled their programmes for the youth.

    For Obaseki, it is time to harness the energy of the youth for irreversible development. He said his administration would engage the youth in productive ventures, promising to create 200,000 jobs through his agricultural programmes.

    Obaseki said his experience as a member of the economic team of Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s administration gave him the privilege to know how best to engage the youth.

    He said: “As a wealth management expert for over 30 years, I promise to create over 200,000 jobs through agriculture and its value chain. Through this, the state would become the driver of the country’s food production if I emerge the governor.

    “Many people would generate wealth by keying into our value chain development of oil palm, cassava, cocoa, grains, rubber, fruits and vegetables.Our plan for the next four years is to create jobs that will be adequate to make the youth dream of better future.”

    If elected, Obaseki, an investment banker, said his administration would ensure smooth running of government, because he already had a blueprint of what the state should look like, saying: “We need to continue to keep Edo State as the hub of quality education.”

    He added that his government would make the state an investment destination by creating an enabling environment for public private partnership (PPP).

    “There is so much we have done and we need someone who understands the terrain to continue,” he said.

    On his own part, Ize-Iyamu said he was in the race because of his deep concerns about happenings in the state. He hailed the university for fostering democratic practice in the state, saying he was more than qualified to govern the state with his wealth of experience.

    He said: “I am not contesting because I am concerned or passionate, but because I also have the experience to change things for better in the state.”

    On job creation, he said investments in industries would create jobs for the youth. He said the administration is not creative in creating jobs for the youth, noting that the state depended on payments of taxes and allocations from Abuja only.

    He assured that how to repair the poor condition of the road that leads to the university would be his priority if elected, promising to complete the road within his first tenure.

    “The more attractive we make Benson Idahosa University, the better it is for the state, and we will make BIU road a priority,” he said

    Ize-Iyamu promised a state that would be different from the present situation, saying he would right the wrongs perpetrated by Oshiomhole’s government.

    The PDP candidate said the state’s Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) would improve through his strategic investment programme, adding that his administration would discourage multiple and increased taxation.

    He said his administration would invest in a film village and railway station, promising to expand the operation of Benin Airport to make it to be of international standard.

    The BIU President, Bishop Faith Emmanuel Idahosa, who moderated the event, said the forum was to make students politically knowledgeable to think and address issues, rather than casting vote based on sentiment. He said the event would improve democratic practice in the state.

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Ernest Izevbigie, hailed the candidates for honoring that university’s invitation and promised to work with them in the future.

    ILIX is a platform established by Bishop Idahosa to bring together thought leaders, industry experts, practitioners, researchers, and young innovators to dialogue and proffer solutions to national and global issues.

  • Benin chiefs deny endorsing Ize-Iyamu

    Benin chiefs deny endorsing Ize-Iyamu

    BENIN traditional chiefs have denied endorsing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

    The chiefs warned those peddling rumours to stop dragging the palace into the murky waters of politics. They said the report on the purported endorsement was laughable.

    Chief Osaro Idah, the Obazelu of Benin Kingdom, who spoke with reporters, said the chiefs that were involved in the endorsement were card-carrying members of the PDP.

    He said the chiefs were speaking for themselves and that their views did not represent the views of the Benin chiefs.

    Idah said if the palace must speak on any issue, it was either done through the Iyase or the Esogban, who is the head of the Benin Forum.

    He said the so-called palace adoption was a fraud.

    Idah also disclosed that the palace has discredited one Arase, who went to some villages to tell them that the palace requested its subjects to vote for the PDP.

    He said the impostor has been excommunicated from the palace 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.”

     

  • Ize-Iyamu denies plan to declare public holiday for Igbinedion’s birthday

    Ize-Iyamu denies plan to declare public holiday for Igbinedion’s birthday

    Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Iyamu, has denied making comments that he would use state fund to celebrate the birthday of Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom, if elected governor of Edo State.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu also denied comment credited to him that he would also declare September 11 public holiday to celebrate the Esama of Benin.

    Ize-Iyamu said the video being circulated in both the conventional and social media showing him making the comments was doctored and manipulated.

    He stated that the video was not a true reflection of what he said at the occasion in reference.

    The PDP candidate said the video was ‘maliciously doctored and intended to portray him in bad light in the court of public opinion.

    Speaking through the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chris Nehikhare, Pastor Ize-Iyamu said spoken words were super-imposed over the words coming out of his mouth.

    According to Chris, “The PDP, with all sense of responsibility and emphasis, wishes to assure the good people of Edo State that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu does not intend to host at the expense of the State or declare a public holiday in celebration of the Esama’s birthday if by the goodwill of the people, he is returned elected as governor on September 28.

    “We want to acknowledge the fact that we are proud of our relationship with the universally acclaimed entrepreneur and philanthropist per excellence, Sir, Chief, Dr. Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin.

    “We are proud to say that this rare personage whose table hosts kings and heads of nations all year round is a leader of the PDP. We hope to take advantage of his rare connections to advance the development of Edo State.”

  • Edo poll: AA, ACD candidates step down for Ize-Iyamu

    The governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in Edo State, Ishaka Paul Ofomile and his Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) counterpart, Andrew Igwemoh, have withdrawn from the governorship race.

    Both candidates said they have adopted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

    The KOWA Party governorship candidate, Thompson Osadolor, and Bishop Akharame of the People for Democratic Change (PDC), had last week stepped down for Pastor Ize-Iyamu.

    The candidates of AA and ACD announced their decision at a PDP rally held in Okpella, Etsako East local government area of the state.

    They noted that Pastor Ize-Iyamu has offered the best hope for the state.

    The ACD candidate, who hails from Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s Iyamho community, said the issue of who governs Edo State was not a “brotherly affair.”

    Igwemoh accused Governor Oshiomhole of developing a section of Iyamho community, as well as building a university that is not affordable for the people of the community.

    He said, “We have collapsed our structure and are now working for a team that can take Edo State to the eldorado. They (APC) promised to create 100,000 jobs when they have not even created 10, 000 jobs.”

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu told the people that Governor Oshiomhole refused to harness the huge mineral deposits of Okpella community.

     

  • Edo election: Wike, APC bicker over support for PDP’s Ize-Iyamu

    Edo election: Wike, APC bicker over support for PDP’s Ize-Iyamu

    •I gave Ize-Iyamu only moral support – Wike
    •No, you also gave material, financial support to PDP candidate – APC

    Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State  and the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are locked in a bicker over  his  support for the Edo State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

    Wike dismissed reports that he backed Ize-Iyamu with a N2 billion donation, saying all he gave was moral support.

    He vowed to continue to support democratic forces, not just in the Niger Delta, but across Nigeria, to bring better life to people of the country.

    But the APC in the state said Wike has been a pillar of financial backing for Ize-Iyamu.

    The Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, speaking for his principal said Wike had no N2 billion to give the PDP candidate.

    He also denied allegation by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State that Wike and his Delta State counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa, were mobilising militants to rig the September 28 election for the PDP candidate.

    Tam-George said: “Governor Wike has no links with militants in the region and anywhere else in the country. He (Wike) has only given moral support to the PDP candidate in Edo State to overcome the ineptitude and dysfunction the APC imposed on the people.”

    Wike asked the people of Edo State to stand firm in defence of their sovereign right by voting for the PDP in the election.

    However, the APC Publicity Secretary in Rivers, Chris Finebone, told The Nation yesterday that Ize-Iyamu has been receiving massive financial support from Wike.

    He said: “Wike should, for once, be courageous to accept that he also gave material and financial support to the Edo PDP’s governorship candidate (Ize-Iyamu), as charged by Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

    “We all know that Wike is still on his schizophrenic delusion of grandeur. It is this same obscene pursuit of his that sent the PDP to its present life-support situation. Happily, some of his own people are now cutting him to size.

    “The APC in Rivers State believes that Wike mobilized and exported militants and hoodlums to Edo State to rig the September 10 election and he will repeat the same on September 28, 2016 (new date for the governorship poll). Security agents and Edo people must be vigilant.

    “We have informed him (Wike) that since all his (Wike’s) government can export is militancy, election-rigging and violence, he should tell Rivers people how much inflow that will bring, to improve the economy of Rivers State.

    “The Rivers State governor should halt his ego trip and conserve funds to pay teachers outstanding seven months salaries, pay pensioners their nine months pensions, close to one year outstanding wages to Rivers State House of Assembly legislative aides and others who are already dying every now and then.”

  • ‘Ize-Iyamu envious of my achievements’

    ‘Ize-Iyamu envious of my achievements’

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole says the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is jealous of his achievements. He achieved a feat which the PDP government failed to do in 10 years.

    In a response to Ize-Iyamu’s allegation that the Oshiomhole government caused the flooding on Ugbowo road, Benin City, the governor, through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Peter Okhiria, said: “We note that Mr Ize-Iyamu is still living in the past; a past filled with emptiness and incompetence which was displayed by the Government of Mr Lucky Igbinedion in which Ize-Iyamu served as Chief of Staff and Secretary to Government.

    “It is laughable that Ize-Iyamu has come out to make such a wild allegation of flooding on Ugbowo road. The same road on which many people were washed away by flood during their eight years of crass incompetence and cluelessness.

    “A road which was a nightmare to motorists during their time in government as it was characterised by perennial flooding when that government could not even desilt the drains on the road.

    “Ize-Iyamu’s outburst can only come from a man consumed by envy over the numerous achievements of the Comrade Governor on roads construction, deflooding of the State capital through the Benin Storm-water Masterplan; construction and reconstruction of red-roof schools; construction of a brand new 5-Star Central Hospital; construction of brand new General Hospitals in Otuo and Ewohinmi; reconstruction of other General hospitals across the state; construction of a world-class university, payment of a new N25,000 Minimum wage to workers in the state public service, the only state to do so in the country; facilitation of multi-billion dollar investments into the state, among other numerous achievements.

    Oshiomhole addeded: “The people of Edo State have not forgotten how the failed Government in which Ize-Iyamu served as SSG created the Tom Line River and how perennial flooding at the 5-Junction area of the state capital continued unabated during their time, due to the low quality of governance they provided.

    “The people have not forgotten how the Lucky Igbinedion government, with Ize-Iyamu as Secretary to Government, the engine room of government, the man who approved all government memos, merely heaped concrete on a section of the Ugbowo road, in a crude and clueless manner, and rather than solve the flooding problem on the road, they compounded the woes of motorists.

    “However, the people of the state and motorists plying the road know how the intervention of the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole government has completely put an end to the misery of motorists on that road through a comprehensive approach of the Strom water masterplan and how the construction of deep underground drains at the 5-Junction has completely deflooded the Ugbowo road and the 5-Junction area-.

    “We find it amusing that a man aspiring to the highest political office in the State cannot see beyond his nose and faults the expansion of the Ugbowo road to three lanes on each side. This only shows the poor quality of his thinking and his sinister plan to return Edo State to the dark days.

    “We are aware that Ize-Iyamu’s ambition is to continue in the footsteps of his master and play the evil script written for him by those who ran the state aground during their inglorious years in government.”