Edo 2020: 7 aspirants purchase nomination form for Ize-Iyamu

By Dansu Peter 

SEVEN aspirants of All Progressives Congress, APC loyal to the national Chairman of the party have reportedly contributed the sum of N22. 5m to purchase the governorship nomination form Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

The seven aspirants have earlier stepped down to pave way for the former PDP candidate in the last governorship to emerge as the concensus candidate of APC faction loyal to the national Chairman, Oshiomhole.

The concensus, according to report was reached after several weeks of horse-trading, negotiations that nearly broke down, six governorship aspirants namely Dr. Pius Odubu, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, Major Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), Hon. Johnson Agbonyima, Saturday Uwulekhue and Prof. Ebegue Amadasun have stepped down for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as their consensus governorship aspirant to contest for the June 22 governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC). A seventh aspirant, Solomon Edebiri was said to have voluntarily withdrawn from the race.

It was learnt that all the aspirants in the contest have jointly contributed to buy APC’s N22.5 million Nomination and Expression Interest Form for Ize-Iyamu.

A statement by the Director of Communication of Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organisation, John Mayaki shortly after he picked the nomination form described it as “another stride in the quest to move Edo State forward.”

He said: “By obtaining the form today, we have formally placed our name on the party’s ballot for our internal primary next month. It is another great stride and we are thankful to the other aspirants who have joined us here today to offer support.”

“There have been efforts to cause disunity in our party and pit people against each other by those who have sadly embraced politics without principles and are openly rebelling against the leadership of our party because they believe they have absolute power. But as it is clear from today’s event, Edo APC is united and these deviants may have a loud voice but they don’t represent the majority.

“Everyone here may have personal ambitions but we are bound together by the common desire to fast-track the transformation of our state through a transparent, effective, and accountable governance that will improve the living standards and social well-being of our people.”