Edo Guber 2016: Pastor Ize-Iyamu, PDP Candidate In N23b Stolen Election Bribe Scandal Mess - EFCC Opens Up

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Edo State is still under investigation over his alleged role in the disbursement of N23bn campaign funds, which emanated from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has revealed.

According to the agency, the N23bn was alleged to have been part of stolen crude oil funds and kickbacks from contractors.

Part of the money was allegedly used in bribing officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission during the 2015 general elections.

Earlier, Ize-Iyamu had told journalists that as the campaign director for the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation in Edo State during the 2015 presidential election, he handled N700m for the party.

The PDP candidate was quizzed by the EFCC in May 2016, whn he was asked to return some money to the commission but was not detained, thereby fuelling speculations that he had been cleared by the anti-graft agency.

The EFCC spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, however, told our correspondent on Monday that the PDP candidate was still under investigation.

“I can confirm to you that he (Ize-Iyamu) is still under investigation,” Wilson said.

Ize-Iyamu had told reporters that he indeed handled N700m for the PDP during the last presidential election but added that the party still owed him some money.

He had said, “I told them (EFCC) who got what: that we needed money for transportation; mobilisation of our people; some of them that had to leave Benin to their polling units in the rural areas, and that the state chairman of the party worked out a realistic budget.

“And that by the time we looked at what they brought and what we had in mind, it became clear that the N700m would not be enough. Our leader volunteered to make up the difference, which he brought from his house.”

The EFCC has grilled about 16 former governors and ministers over the alleged N23bn Diezani scam.

Some of them included the immediate past Governor of Kebbi State, Saidu Dakin Garin; former Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State; former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano State; former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State; former Governor James Ngilari of Adamawa State; a former Governor of Zamfara State, Mamuda Shinkafi; a former Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke; and a former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda.

During the election, each state was said to have received at least N450m from the fund, which was handled by ministers or governors who were members of the PDP.

Some states, however, received more than N450m.

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Defection Tsunami Hits Edo PDP As Tony Anileh, Other Leaders With Over 3000 Members Defect To APC

Chief John Odegie-Oyegun has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is dead following the mass defection members of the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

Vanguard reports that Oyegun made this comment when he received more than 3000 PDP leaders into the APC in Oredo local government area in Edo state. 

Some of the top PDP members who defected to the APC include Mr. Ebima Ogbeide, Tony Anileh, (Not Tony Anenih) Madam Goldenpenny, Pius Izemwingie, Ikponmwonsa Usiobafoh, Mrs. Vero Aguebor, Wilfred Enabulele, secretary ward 5, and Mr. Ebima Ogbeide. 

Chief John Oyegun The chairman of the APC said the party was still ready to accommodate as many PDP members who were interested in leaving. “Massive development has already started in the state, and we welcome people who have the interest of the state and are progressive minded to join to continue with this development. 

Looking at the calibre of leaders defecting, I laugh when I see PDP boast of winning. Honestly, they are dead and buried in Edo.” Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo also confirmed that the PDP was now irrelevant in the state and it was impossible for the party to win. 

He said: “The defection of Dennis Evbuomwan, the Oredo PDP leader, marked the end of the party in the state. For me, the coming of Evbuomwan, and other leaders of the PDP in Oredo, along with their unit leaders, means they are here with a complete story. 

The unit heads are the real people in the field. A few weeks ago, Alhaji Abubakar Momoh led thousands of members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the PDP. Momoh who was the senatorial candidate of SDP in the last general election in Edo North led mem­bers and supporters to resign en-masse from the party to join the PDP at a campaign rally held at Royal block Court­yard at Auchi in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

“We decided to join the PDP because it has a candidate that will help Edo State get out of where it is today which is not comfortable. That candidate is a person who I believe will help to move Edo forward.”

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EDO 2016 Governorship: INEC Dealt Sherif Heavy Blow, Drop Candidate From 19 Final List Released

The former Borno State Governor and factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has been dealt a heavy blow as the Independent National Electoral Commission refused to enlist his gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Mathew Iduoriyekemwen among the final list of 19 released yesterday for governorship election in Edo State scheduled to hold on Saturday, September 10.

The INEC in a document signed and issued by the Secretary to the commission, Mrs. Augusta C. Ogakwu, the commission said that 19 political parties and their candidates had been cleared to contest the election.

The release of the list, the commission said, was in furtherance of the Electoral Act which stipulates that it must publish the list, at least, 30 days before the election.

Section 34 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) provides that, “The commission shall, at least 30 days before the day of the election, publish by displaying or causing to be displayed at the relevant office(s) of the commission and on the commission’s website, a statement on the full names and addresses of all candidates standing nominated.”

Surprisingly, the commission again picked Mr. Osagie Ize-Iyamu and John Yakubu as the governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party.

This shows that the commission has rejected the candidate of the factional National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff for the position.

Sheriff, who is in court fighting his alleged removal from office, equally forwarded the name of Mr. Mathew Idorioyekemwen as the candidate of the PDP for the election.

Sheriff had on Tuesday said he was planning to storm the state five days before the election, to campaign for his candidate.

While reacting to the release of the list by the commission, Sheriff said he expected INEC to be law abiding in its actions.

Speaking through the spokesperson for his faction, Mr. Bernard Mikko, the former governor of Borno State said that it was possible that INEC was waiting for the Court of Appeal to make a pronouncement on the issue before “correcting the error.”

Mikko said, “The commission has promised to be law-abiding in its dealings with political parties and other institutions.

“We have nothing to worry about concerning the release of the list, because at the end of the day, we will come out as winners.

“The commission could be waiting for the Court of Appeal to make a pronouncement on the issue and correct the error. We are waiting patiently on it.”

The commission had claimed that the Sheriff faction of the PDP did not give it the mandatory 21-day notice to monitor its primary.

It also said that it was relying on the judgment of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which recognised the Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee of the party as the authentic leadership.

The list of other candidates and their parties released by the commission are Ishaka Paul Ofemile and Ewemade Osagie (AA), Andrew Igewmoh and Osagie Andrew (ACD), Cosms Irabor and Fredrick Odegua (ACPN), Godwin Obaseki and Philip Shaibu (APC), Onaiwu Osaro and Okpebholo Gladys (APGA) while David Okoror and Ekhorotomwen Smile will be the candidates of the CPP.

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EDO 2016: Obaseki Withdraws, Joins Force With PDP's Ize-Iyamu

There was excitement in Benin, the Edo State capital, on Sunday as the governorship campaign took on a dramatic twist, and boost for the PDP candidate in the forthcoming election in that state.

The governorship candidate of the Accord Party, Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki announced that he is stepping down for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the September 10, 2016 election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Obaseki who is a younger brother to Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the All Progressives Party, said he is collapsing his entire political structure into the PDP, in support of Ize-Iyamu.

Dr. Obaseki, a veteran writer and university lecturer, said he decided to endorse Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu because he realised that he is the best candidate for the election.

He described Adams Oshiomhole and his brother, Godwin Obaseki as ‘betrayers and unworthy of trust’.

Ize-Iyamu and Governor Oshiomhole had earlier had a war of words when the PDP candidate during his campaign in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of the state on Friday, vowed to probe the administration of the incumbent if elected.

Ize-Iyamu also challenged Oshiomhole to investigate the eight years he (Ize-Iyamu) spent in office as Chief of Staff and Secretary to the State Government.

According to him, “every kobo that has come to Edo State must be accounted for. That is his fear; that is why he can no longer sleep.”

Oshiomhole soon after, fired back, that the threat was laughable.

According to the governor, Ize-Iyamu and other PDP chieftains have to account for funds collected during the 2015 general elections.

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Edo Governorship: INEC Defies Court Order, REJECTS Sheriff's Candidate

Despite a ruling by an Abuja High Court that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC shouls accept and recognise on gubernatorial candidate from the Ali Modu Sheriff led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the INEC, instead rejected the name of the candidates submitted for the governorship election of Edo State by the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party.

The Deputy Director in charge of Publicity and Voters’ Education at the commission’s headquarters, Mr. Nick Dazang, in a text message Punch Newspaper said INEC decided to reject the list based on the fact that it did not monitor the primary that produced the faction’s governorship candidate, Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekwemwen.

Meanwhile the commission had confirmed that it has accepted the name submitted by the Chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Ahmed Makarfi.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is the candidate of the Makarfi-led faction of the party.

The two factions had on Monday submitted names of their governorship candidates for the state to the to the commission.

He said that the commission had received the names of governorship candidates from 18 other political parties, apart from the PDP.

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He said, “As of this evening, we have received 19 candidates from 19 political parties for the Edo governorship  election.

“These include the candidate of the Makarfi-led faction of the PDP. We received the candidate of the Makarfi-led faction because of the Port Harcourt court judgement plus the fact that we monitored its primaries.”

Sheriff Defies Court Order, Conducts Edo Guber Primary Election

Despite the Wednesday court judgment declaring the election and actions of Ali Modu Sheriff as national chairman of the PDP as illegal, his faction has gone ahead to conduct a parallel governorship primary in Edo State.

Sheriff had declared the initial primary by the party in the state which produced Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the party’s candidate as illegal, and announced a committee to conduct another primary.

The committee headed by Hope Uzodinma kick-started the voting process at 4:24pm, with 677 accredited delegates casting their votes, according to their local government areas.

Two aspirants were cleared to take part in the primary; Johnson Agbonayima and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.

However  Agbonayima, member representing Egor and Ikpoba-Okha federal constituency announced he was stepping down ‎Iduoriyekemwen.

The Ahmed Makarfi-led leadership of the party has always maintained that Sheriff is working with the opposition APC to destabilse the party, and spoil its chances to present a good fight in the Edo governorship contest.

Ripples Nigeria

Edo Guber 2016: PDP Pastor Aspirants Fight Dirty With Colleagues As Things Fall Apart

Ahead of the September 10 governorship election in Edo state, war of words appear to be causing a crack in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) family, as some of its aspirants are fighting dirty over who is qualified to fly the party’s flag in the election.

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It is pertinent to recall that in their determination to dethrone the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, all aspirants of the party had pledged to stick together and work as one family, no matter who emerged as the party’s flag bearer.

But indications that things are beginning to fall apart in the party emerged on Monday when one of the aspirants, Osaro Onaiwu, called on the leadership of the party to call another aspirant, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, to order over an alleged denigrating statement he made against other aspirants, describing the statement as “unacceptable.”

Onaiwu who was the Director-General of PDP Governors’ Forum, said: “Ize-Iyamu said and we have him on tape, that he is the only one criticizing Oshiomhole, that none of us is doing that. Secondly, that he was the only one that gave N100,000 each to 192 wards during the elections and thirdly, that he is the only person that has the capacity to fight APC and that other aspirants don’t have what it takes.

“But let me remind him: He said he has structures more than three of us, during the last elections, I am from the two Ovia, we were able to deliver the two constituencies for Omosede Igbinedion to win the House of Representatives election. Mathew Iduoriyekemwen is from Ikpoba Okha, he was able to deliver EJ Agbonayinma as a House of Reps member today.‎

“Solomon Edebiri is from Uhumwonde, he delivered Uhumwonde votes. Pastor Ize-Iyamu is from Orhiomwon and our candidate, Larry Ogieva, lost the House of Representatives election. He could not deliver Larry in Orhiomwon. Urhoghide who is a Senator today in Edo South, went to the court because of Oriomnwon votes. So if he says he is the one who can win elections, he should have delivered Orhionmwon for PDP.‎

“Also, don’t forget he is the only aspirant among the four of us who has changed his local government twice. He was operating in Oredo [but] has now moved to Orhionmwon. Is that the kind of person you want us to trust. ‎

“They destroyed PDP in this state but we are trying to build it back. No matter the differences you had in the party you ganged up against it and you are proud to say that you formed the Grace Group to destroy PDP and today you said you want PDP governorship ticket.‎

“You are proud to say that the leadership of the party at that time de-registered you and you went to form ACN, why did you not remain in the ACN that you formed? Why did you not remain with Oshiomhole that you are criticizing? Was it that Oshiomhole was not doing well when you left him? If there are issues with Oshiomhole, go and sort it out and leave the party out of it. Don’t create an impression that you are the only one that can fight APC, we are not going to war and no individual has an exclusive right to violence.

Onaiwu then urged party leaders to call him to order. “The party leadership in Edo state should advise him to campaign about what he wants to do for the people and not destroying other aspirants. He lacks the credibility to think he will lead us to victory. He is creating an impression that he is the only one that can fight Oshiomhole. Running me down, running Iduoriyekenwem and Edebiri down is unacceptable. The party leadership should talk to him. I just pity the party and I expect the party leadership to call him to order.”

‎But in a swift reaction, Pastor Ize-Iyamu said he still stands by the bond of the PDP aspirants, adding that, they are one and that whoever gets the ticket will have their support.

“I never castigated anybody. I have always mentioned what I did for the party at fora where I speak. I never mentioned any aspirant’s name.

“If a man is talking about how he gave money, how is that an offence? I have a right to talk about my contribution to the party. Onaiwu has been talking about how he was DG to Governors’ Forum and what he did, I never reacted to it.

“How I left PDP and came back is in the public domain stand. I stand by our bond and I will never run any aspirant down,” Ize-Iyamu said.

PM News