…insists Ize-Iyamu not a party member, unqualified to contest for guber ticket
…Says Oshiomhole bent on destroying Buhari’s anti-corruption legacy
Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the crisis rocking the Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is bent on destroying the President’s anti-corruption legacy.
Comrade Shaibu, who spoke with journalists in his office on the crisis rocking the party in the state, stressed that there is ample evidence that Oshiomhole is not joining forces with the President on his anti-corruption crusade, but rather aligning with a man who has a pending corruption case to contest for the governorship seat in the state.
According to him, “My message to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the leader of the party in Nigeria, is for him to intervene in the crisis rocking Edo APC. I urge him to provide leadership at this critical time as Oshiomhole wants to destroy his anti-corruption legacy.
“Oshiomhole is not joining the President’s anti-corruption crusade but rather bringing a corrupt person that has a N700 million case pending in court to contest an election. Oshiomhole called this man a thief; it is the same man he is bringing to rob Edo people.”
The Deputy Governor said Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is not a registered member of Edo APC, and as such is not qualified to contest in the governorship election, noting, “Ize-Iyamu is not a member of the Edo APC because he is not registered in his ward. The constitution is clear on who a member is. He agreed to the fact that he didn’t register at the ward and his ward chairman didn’t register him.
“The constitution says for one to be a member of the APC in the State, he or she must be registered member of the party in his or her ward.”
Shaibu noted that Oshiomhole’s achievements as governor can’t be compared to that of Governor Obaseki, whose successes are resounding across the state.
“The Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) said every state executive should decide on their mode of primary and submit to NWC. We have done that and stand by that resolution. Oshiomhole is an interested party and can’t decide for us,” he added.
