The All Progressive Congress (APC) score only one vote in Iguododo, hometown of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu voted in Unit 26, Ward five in Orhionmwon local government area.
After the counting of the ballots, Ize-Iyamu polled 369 against one vote scored by the candidate of the APC, Godwin Obaseki.
The People’s Democratic Party Candidate in the Edo gubernatorial election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, on Wednesday praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the organisation of the polls at his polling unit in Iguododo, Orhiomwon Local Government Area (LGA).
The PDP candidate said the card reading machine was functional and described the elections as peaceful in the areas he visited.
“The process has started, the turnout is impressive, the security people are around, INEC officials are around, so we’re praying to God that what we’re seeing here is what is playing out.
“I’m happy that at least in my place the card reader has worked. We hope it’s working in other places too.
So, with what I’ve seen here I’m impressed, even though because of network difficulties I’ve not been able to find out what is happening elsewhere.
“But now that I’ve voted we’ll try and phone all those places just to know what is happening. Here, at least, you can see that it’s very peaceful, orderly, the turnout is impressive.”
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, on Tuesday said he refused to be part of a plot to install him as governor in 2007 because it was wrong for him to succeed a fellow Benin man in that position.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu said his belief in equity and fairness made him to support an Afemai man in the person of Governor Adams Oshiomhole to become the state governor.
He spoke at Iyora-Uzaire where some members of the All Progress Congress (APC) led by Prince Musa Braimah defected to the PDP.
Ize-Iyamu told the crowd that he insisted that an Afemai man must be the next governor because nobody from that area has ruled the state before.
The PDP candidate said Oshiomhole did not know anybody in the state when they brought him as governorship candidate.
He said, “I could have been governor in 2007 but I said a Benin man has been governor for eight years. I said a Benin man cannot become governor again.
“I said we must look for someone in Afemai to become governor. We now founded our group and finished everything when they brought Oshiomhole. They said we must help him. So I asked Oshiomhole if he wanted to become governor and he said yes. “
Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has promised to pay bursary as well as give scholarships to Edo students in tertiary institutions.
This, he said, is to guarantee access to quality and affordable education.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu spoke at campaign rally at Ekosodin, a satellite community which serves as residence for thousands of students of University of Benin.
Ize-Iyamu said it was pathetic that the APC government neglected the community in terms of provision of roads, water supply and electricity despite huge votes recorded from the community.
He said, “I was one of the beneficiaries of the Bursary scheme introduced by the defunct Bendel state Governor, the late Professor Ambrose Folorunsho Alli as an undergraduate in UNIBEN. The bursary helped our parents to a great extent in offsetting such expenses like books and our feeding”.
“Under the Simple Agenda of my government if by the grace of God you elect me as governor, I plan to pay all Edo students in higher institutions of learning bursaries. For those who are exceptionally brilliant we will give them scholarships to attain academic heights because they are a pride to our state “.
“I am proud to be a University of Benin graduate. I also lived for one year in Ekosodin as an undergraduate. The place has always enjoyed a very high population of youths and business people. And as a host community of the University, I believe it deserves more government attention by way of development. What I see here is appalling”.
He urged eligible voters to take APC money but vote for the PDP.
Several Igbo unions in Edo state have dismissed claims by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, that the Igbos in the state have endorsed its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The unions said they believe the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) will cut taxes and make life meaningful for them.
Spokesman of the group, Ambrose Aniele, made the statement in a chat with newsmen.
Ambrose said Igbos in the state have no business with the PDP and have never endorsed Pastor Ize-Iyamu.
He said the PDP did nothing when they were in power in the state.
He said. “As I speak to you we are campaigning for APGA. Instead of supporting PDP we will support APC because whether you like it or not Benin is beautiful today because of Oshiomhole and APC.
“I am aware that some of our people have met with APC candidate Godwin Obaseki and Oshiomhole but I can tell you that majority of us will vote for APGA because it is the party for the Igbos. The only problem APC has is the taxation problem.
“Oshiomhole has worked to be honest. You cannot compare PDP with APC, the PDP people have big men who share the money, they don’t care about we Igbos so why will we vote for them?
“We are calling all our people to come our next week Saturday and vote for Osaro Onaiwu who is the APGA governorship candidate. He will help us cut taxation and make life better for everybody living in Edo state,” Aniele stated.
Candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP) in the Edo State governorship election, Pastor Peters Omoragbon, on Sunday night protested alleged partiality of the organizers of a debate for political parties’ candidates in the state.
The debate tagged the ‘Mandate’ was shunned by eight candidates including Mr. Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressive Congress.
Pastor Omoragbon who was among 12 candidates that participated in the debate expressed his disappointment during the debate after the time keeper cut him off.
He said he regretted inability to articulate his party’s programmes and manifestos because of time.
His words: “I want to express my disappointment at this event. The timing given to other candidates is different from what is allowed us now. I cannot be used as a photo shop.”
Another protest erupted when party logos were to be placed on the podium after four candidates stepped down without their party logos pasted on the podium.
The candidates said it was unfair for the organizers to allow them speak without their party logos but to paste such on the podium at a time candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, United Progressive Party, KOWA party and Social Democratic Party.
Candidate of the UPP, Adviser Shedrack Nowamagbe said he would recover stolen funds from past administrations in the state to ensure stable electricity and adequate security.
Adviser Nowamagbe who was briefed in his comments urged all candidates to be prepared to swear before the Oba’s shrine if the people were to take them seriously.
KOWA’s party candidate, Mr. Thompson Osadolor, described himself as a mechanic that want to fix the state.
He promised to set up a state owned construction firm with a view to carrying out road construction with direct Labour without award such contracts to contractors.
Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu said the ruling APC policy has not been friendly to investors as well as not giving access to credit facilities.
The Edo State League of Professionals, non-Governmental Organization, at its meeting held on recently Abuja, was briefed by members on the upcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State.
The League congratulated all the political parties that have fielded candidates for the gubernatorial election which have set the stage for a keen contest. It also availed the people of Edo State the opportunity to freely choose the candidate of their choice.
The League also noted the preparations underway by INEC to conduct a free and fair election acceptable to the electorates. The League, therefore, encourage INEC to remain unbiased and avoid anything that is capable of derailing the process.
The League recalled how development have eluded Edo State as a result of lack of selfless and visionary leaders. The League also noted the lack of political consciousness among the best brains in the state, thereby leaving the stage for self-centered politicians to ruin our dear state.
The League took note of the two leading gubernatorial candidates in the upcoming gubernatorial election; Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the PDP and Mr. Godwin Obaseki of the APC. Both candidates were painstakingly analyzed and evaluated, taking into consideration whose victory at the poll will bring the much expected development to our state.
The League also underscored the imperative of supporting a candidate who is accessible; will not be trapped in the old patterns of politics of misrepresentation and distortion; will close the door on the old economics that has written off the poor and left the Civil Servants poorer and less secure which the PDP gubernatorial candidate epitomized. Therefore, the League unanimously adopted the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu as the candidate of its choice to be the next Governor of Edo State. He is a candidate who offers a strategy for prosperity and lit a spark of hope amid the state of despair as clearly exemplified in his manifestos’ document called the “SIMPLE AGENDA”.
The League call on all the good people of Edo state to support and vote overwhelmingly for the PDP to ensure Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s victory in the coming election.
In another development, the Ebelle Development Union, Port Harcourt Branch under the Chairmanship of Mr. Patrick Ebhoma, has also adopted the PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as its candidate to be voted and supported for the Edo State gubernatorial election scheduled for September 10th.
Again after fruitful interactions between Edo State League of Professionals and the Akoko-Edo Patriots on August 20th in Benin-City, the later also adopted Ize-Iyamu as its gubernatorial Candidate to be voted as the next Governor of Edo State.
The Next Generation Foundation, a socio-political group under the Edo state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it is Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu that needs to apologize for his political prostitution and not Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, recalling that while Ize-Iyamu had left the PDP for the then ACN.
The group on Thursday Iduoriyekemwen had been a member of the PDP since 1999.
Reacting to the comment by the Edo Youths PDP Vanguard, which accused Iduoriyekemwen of political prostitution and a “double agent”, the Foundation in a statement signed by Osaretin Omobude said “we are aware that no PDP youth will speak that way against Iduoriyekemwen because Matthew has been the rallying point for Edo youths from day one.
“When you go to Iduoriyekemwen’s house you see our youths every day and he accommodated everybody. So I wonder where you find any youths that will say Ize-Iyamu accommodates. He owns a house that is like a stadium can any youth go there and eat, is he accessible? So no youth will ever sign such a statement. And the issue of prostitution, it is laughable to accuse our governorship candidate Iduoriyekemwen of political prostitution when Ize-Iyamu in his own greed fought Anenih to destroy PDP in 2006.
“Ize-Iyamu later left the PDP for ACN then because he wanted the governorship ticket, when he discovered Oshiomhole his good friend will play him out of it, he ran back to PDP just because of the ticket. As a matter of fact, Ize-Iyamu was a member of the ACN during the Local Government election when he denied his current running mate, John Yakubu the opportunity to become chairman of Esan North East because Ize-Iyamu ordered the Chairman of the SIEC to go and declare the result in favour of his then ACN.
“So those who are calling Iduoriyekemwen a political prostitute should hide their heads in shame. It means they don’t even know what is happening in Edo state politically. And that was why a leader of the party, Okharedia Ihimekpen told Ize-Iyamu to apologise to Edo PDP before he said he wants to be governor of Edo state because the damage he caused in PDP today is still what we are suffering.
“So Ize-Iyamu should be the one to confess and ask for forgiveness and that is why it is laughable to see him seeking for the ticket of the PDP he destroyed while he was SSG” it stated.
Factional governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state, Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to show him copies court order it relied upon to declare Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the authentic candidate of the PDP.
Iduoriyekemwen said he was confused on which court INEC relied upon because there were many court orders.
Speaking at a press conference in Benin City, Iduoriyekemwen accused INEC of destroying the PDP in Edo State in collaboration with the Ahmed Makarfi faction.
He said INEC was displaying deliberate bias in the ongoing PDP crisis.
Iduoriyekemwen who insisted that he remains the authentic candidate of the PDP and not Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu said INEC deliberately refused to obey court orders that were in favour of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the PDP.
According to him, “ INEC has been behaving in a manner that has shown clear partisanship in the internal affairs of the PDP. Openly making comments that tends to rubbish the court process. you will be surprise that when we are busy campaigning, reaching out to voters, to show INEC’s bias, on the 20 of June, one Deputy Directoro f Public Affairs in INEC said they won’t monitor Sheriff primaries.
“In another event the same man said INEC was yet to take a decision since Modu Sheriff has gone to court. And the one some people said INEC did not monitor our primaries, the Electoral Act is very clear, it does not make it mandatory for INEC to be present in a primary. It said INEC may or may not attend.
“I read the other day INEC published 19 candidates for Edo guber and my question is when did INEC monitor the primaries of other parties because I am in Edo state. And in that publication, with the intent to mislead Edo people not to vote for PDP, because you could see that recently a lot of PDP leaders are moving to APC because they know that the candidate that is supposedly being paraded by the party is not the candidate that they know can deliver the party in the next election.
“And when it got to the part they wrote Ize-Iyamu’s name they said court order. I am here to challenge INEC to tell us what they meant by that court order, which court order are they obeying because they are a lot of court orders which said INEC should only deal with Modu Sheriff faction but INEC has continued to play politics to deceive Edo people. But we are determined to get justice, I remain the candidate of the party and sooner or later the courts will pronounce the truth,” he stated.