The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu

  • Edo 2016: 520 delegates to participate in PDP primaries

    Edo 2016: 520 delegates to participate in PDP primaries

    No fewer than 520 delegates are to participate in the fresh Peoples Democratic Party governorship primaries to be conducted by the committee set up Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff.

    The primaries will hold at the Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia stadium.

    Two aspirants, Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, are to contest at the primaries.

    Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu had earlier emerged candidate of the PDP at the primaries conducted by the Ahmed Makarfi’s committee.

    A visit to the stadium showed that arrangements were being put in place by party officials.

    Spokesman for the Edo PDP caretaker committee, Okharedia Ihimekpen, told our reporter that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission would monitor the conduct of the primaries.

    He said other statutory delegates that are elected members of the party would participate in the primaries.

    Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Sam Olumekun, said it was only the Party Monitoring Department of INEC that could confirm if the commission would be at the Sheriff primaries.

    He directed our reporter to get confirmation from INEC headquarters.

  • Why we are holding fresh guber primaries in Edo – Sheriff group

    Why we are holding fresh guber primaries in Edo – Sheriff group

    The newly inaugurated Edo state leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) under the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party, declared Monday that it was going on with the Wednesday governorship primaries of the party in the state, insisting that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu emerged through a caretaker committee that is not backed by constitution of the PDP.

    Addressing journalists in Benin City Monday, factional chairman of the party and former chairman of the PDP in Ondo state, Ebenezer Alabi, disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will monitor the exercise, asserting that the court rulings so far on the issue, gave Ali Modu Sheriff the powers to produce the authentic governorship candidate of the PDP in Edo state to avoid fielding a candidate who according to him, emerged “through an illegal Caretaker Committee led by Ahmed Makarfi”.

    Flanked by the secretary of the caretaker committee, Chief Edmund Zealiwe and others, Alabi narrated that “the leadership of our party under Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, invoked section 31, sub section 2E of the constitution of PDP by suspending the state Executive members of the PDP in Edo state led by Chief Dan Orbih, for three months and appointed a seven man committee to superintend the Affairs of the PDP in Edo state.

    “We are holding our governorship primaries on Wednesday and the purpose of the primaries is to conform with the ruling of the court. You are aware that a lot of our members are in court as to who is the authentic leader of PDP in Nigeria because of the aborted convention we had in Port Harcourt. The court has made pronouncements. We are a democratic party and I believe we must follow the law.

    “The court made orders that the position of the National chairman, National secretary and national Auditor are not vacant that they have powers to hold such offices until 2018. Apart from that there is a court ruling in Abuja that actually said the tenure of Modu Sheriff ends in 2017. But despite these rulings, some members of our party went to Port Harcourt and elected caretaker committee to run the affairs of the party.

    “ Today we are faced with the problem of who is the authentic person that can sign a valid nomination to INEC, presently the court ceded that power to Ali Modu Sheriff. So if we want to have a valid candidate for the election in Edo state, we must do something proper to carry out the order of the court. And that is why we are here to comply with the order of the law and ensure that we have a proper candidate for our party in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo state,” he stated.

  • Pastor Ize-Iyamu wins PDP primaries

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu wins PDP primaries

    Former Secretary to the Edo State Government, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has won the governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State with a landslide victory.

    He polled 584 votes to defeat his opponents, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen and Chief Solomon Edebiri.

    Matthew garnered 91 votes while Chief Edebiri polled 38 votes.

    A total of 740 delegates participated in the primaries held at the Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia stadium.

    Security was beefed around the stadium to prevent hoodlums from gaining access to the venue.

    Details later…

  • Edo primaries: PDP begins accreditation

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has started accreditation of delegates ahead of its governorship primaries scheduled to begin soon.

    Three aspirants -Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Chief Solomon Edebiri and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen – are battling for the party governorship ticket.

    The accreditation of delegates is taking place in three different centres for each senatorial district.

    Delegates from Edo central Senatorial district are being screened at the party secretariat along First East Circular, while those from Edo South Senatorial District were screened at a former secretariat of the PDP, located at the popular five junction.

    Delegates from Edo North are at the JBS Estate, off Sapele Road, for the exercise.

    The PDP primaries will be conducted by Mr. David Umahi sent by the party’s national body led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi .

    Umahi promised to conduct a rancour free exercise.

  • Edo PDP aspirant denies EFCC arrest

    Edo PDP aspirant denies EFCC arrest

    Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organization Friday denied the arrest by Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) as reported by some National Daily.

    The campaign organization said, “our attention has been drawn to a false and wicked propaganda which has been circulating on social media that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has been arrested by the EFCC.

    “Ordinarily, we would not react to such rumour sponsored by political upstarts within and outside who are worried at the massive support our campaign is gaining among the people of Edo state, but because The Nation newspaper, which ought to be a responsible newspaper, published the false report in their today issue, we have decided to respond to prevent a false propaganda to be mistaken for fact.

    “We wish to state unequivocally that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was not called neither was he arrested by the EFCC because his hands are clean. ‎

    “We call on all our teaming supporters across Edo state, especially the very conscious PDP delegates to disregard such news fabricated by those who through fear of the emergence of Ize-Iyamu and his eventual victory at the polls have made themselves captives of the unknown but continue to support us in a bid to vacate the APC from Edo state and begin a process of repositioning our state through transparent, effective and accountable governance that will improve the living standards and social wellbeing of our people. This is our priority and we would not entertain any distraction from those unprepared and unfit to lead in such a time as this.”