The Peoples Democratic Party National Campaign Council (PDPNCC) for Edo Governorship Election says the declaration by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, that he will follow the footprint of the sacked APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, has destroyed his own campaign in his pipe dream of becoming the governor of Edo state.
The Campaign Council asserts that such comment is a direct insult to the sensibilities of the people of Edo state, who suffered untold deprivation from the massive treasury looting, trampling of human rights, disrespect for traditional institution and suppression of dissenting voices that characterized Oshiomhole’s eight year rule as governor of Edo state.
It is laughable that after much orchestration, Ize-Iyamu has abandoned his plagiarized SIMPLE Agenda, (which, in any case, he had no capacity to execute) to follow Oshiomhole’s detestable “go and die” policy and agenda of falsehood, treasury looting, injecting of confusion and disregard for values, welfare and sensibilities of the people.
Edo people already understood Oshiomhole’s footprint as the antics of a self-confessed liar, who has admitted that he had no scruples spreading falsehood in the public to achieve selfish objectives.
Oshiomhole’s footprint as the governor of Edo state includes intimidation of widows, alleged suppression of personal freedom of citizens, entrenchment of corruption and unbridled treasury looting, for which the Edo people have been demanding his prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
That is the footprint Ize-Iyamu said he would be following; the style of an individual who is always associated with engendering confusion, quarreling, disagreements and disunity.
Nigerians can recall how Oshiomhole’s National Chairmanship of the APC destroyed the party as well as how his leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led to bitter disagreements and divisions in the labour front.
Our party’s national campaign is however not amazed that Ize-iyamu, having become overburdened by reputation issues, surrendered the APC candidacy to another discredited individual, who was suspended by his kinsmen at his ward and disgracefully kicked out as the National Chairman of his party.
Given this sad declaration to continue where Oshiomhole stopped, Ize-Iyamu has shown to the people of Edo state and Nigerians in general that he has no credible principles but only seeks to hijack governance for selfish purposes.
With a character like Oshiomhole as the face of election campaign for Ize-Iyamu, who had also been exposed by the former APC leader as a treasury looter, acid bather and person of questionable character, it is clear that men of goodwill in Edo state have deserted the APC and its candidate.
Of course, the Edo people will never follow a footprint that is heading to nowhere.
That is why Oshiomhole’s antics of fake apologies, deceitful genuflections before Edo leaders and hiring of campaigners for Ize-Iyamu’s rallies cannot swayed the people of Edo state to abandon a proven, credible, people-oriented and performance-based administration which they have been enjoying under the PDP candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Our campaign has noted the trend and propensity by Ize Iyamu and Oshiomhole campaign to entrench violence in Edo state.
We strongly caution Adams Oshiomhole to stop overheating the polity of Edo and the nation just because he and his candidate have no agenda to market to the people of Edo state.
Oshiomhole should remember that Edo state is called the heartbeat of the nation and he should not create a crisis that would have a spiral effect to other parts of our country.
We hereby call on President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in Oshiomhole, whom his party had summarily dismissed and now hovering around Edo state seeking for where to perch.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
Secretary, Publicity Sub-Committee
PDP National Campaign Council for Edo Governorship Election