Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, All Progressives Congress aspirant in the September 21, 2024 Edo State governorship election, says what Senator Adams Oshiomhole desires most in the election is for his party to win the election.
Ize-Iyamu said this when he featured on Arise television Thursday breakfast interview, where he expressed surprise over his disqualification from contesting the election by Prof. Julius Ihonvnere-led Committee.
He accused the Committee of disqualifying him arbitrarily on the basis of discretion, ahead of the APC screening Committee that is yet to be set up by the National Working Committee of the ruling party.
Ize-Iyamu insisted that over 250,000 delegates from 192 Wards across the 18 Local government Areas of Edo State would decide who will fly the party’s ticket in the election, after the leadership of APC adopted direct primaries billed for February 17, 2024.
He also said there is actually no serious disagreement between him and the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole over his gubernatorial ambition.
“The Ihonvbere-led Committee was set up to interface with governorship aspirants, and make recommendations, not decision(s), according to him, “I know what Comrade Oshiomhole desires the most is that APC will win Edo 2024 governorship election. So, he is watching developments”.
The aspirant who purchased his party Nomination Expression of interest forms on Wednesday January 24, 2024 at the APC national Secretariat in Abuja, said his loyal to the former Governor who a respected leader of the party, and expect him to keep his preference, which according to him is his right, to himself.
“There is no serious disagreement between us. We can disagree sometimes on things that should be done”, according to Ize-Iyamu who vowed to seek his support and will impress on him to secure the Edo APC governorship ticket and with the forthcoming poll.
“Life is dynamic. The reality is that his support is important because he has people that he can also talk to”, according to Ize-Iyamu who said, “Oshiomhole supported my governorship ambition in 2020, but in 2016, he didn’t support my ambition”.
“But this matter goes beyond one man. And for me, I refuse to believe that Oshiomhole is against me, and as a leader, he will keep it to himself. It’s right to support somebody else, but the important thing is, whoever the party brings out as its Candidate all of us will support him.
“I am in APC. Either win or lose, and I will support whoever wins the primaries. Comrade Oshiomhole is a distinguished Senator. He is leader and a friend of mine. We have come a long way. He is a man with a strong with a strong character like me”, Ize-Iyamu said.
Asked what he intends to do differently as a contestant seeking the governorship election for the fourth time, Ize-Iyamu said, “twice I have contested governorship elections. The first time, it was PDP in 2016, while my second attempt was in APC in 2020.
He further said, “The reality is that the two strongest parties in the State at one time or the other have given their platforms to contest. I am not somebody that you can shove aside. I am deeply rooted in the minds of our people”.
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