EDO GUBER: Fresh hurdle for Ize-Iyamu, as APC LG chairmen back Obaseki
Chairmen of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 18 local government areas of Edo State have kicked against the waver granted Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu by the National Working Committee of the party on May 21, 2020.
According to the party’s LG chairmen, Ize-Iyamu is yet to meet the conditions for waiver to contest the governorship election on the platform of the party.
Ize-Iyamu, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC late last year, has been chosen as the consensus candidate of the pro-Adams Oshiomhole faction of the party in the state.
According to the chairmen, the decision to present Ize-Iyamu, the 2016 governorship candidate of the PDP as the consensus candidate of Edo APC would not stand, claiming that he was not a member of the party (APC).
Led by their Chairman, Ben Oghomu, during a press conference on Thursday in Benin, the LG party bosses described Ize-Iyamu’s May 26 consensus candidature in Abuja as null, void and of no effect.
They also pledged to ensure that Governor Godwin Obaseki emerges victorious during the June 22 primary election of APC, using the indirect mode, adding that he would also win the governorship poll on September 19, thereby continuing in office beyond November 12.
“We wish to state for the avoidance of doubt that the purported agreement to return Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as a consensus candidate of the APC is without foundation.
“Pastor Ize-Iyamu is not a member of our party. He led his followers out of APC in 2014 and even contested the governorship on the platform of PDP in 2016, which he lost.
”The purported waiver granted Pastor Ize-Iyamu by the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC is ultra vires, null and void, as Article 31 of the party’s constitution confers the power on the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
“Besides, the conditions for waiver prescribed by the party’s constitution have not been met.
”The truth is that Pastor Ize-Iyamu recently joined Edo People’s Movement (EPM), which is a group organised by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to destabilise APC in Edo State.
“The party has a constitution and the constitution makes provisions on how things are done, including registration of new members.”