There are indications that the planned rally planned for Friday December 13, 2019 to receive Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu and his supporters from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress in Benin City the Edo State capital may have suffered a huge setback.
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| L-r: Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole |
According to reports, the planned defection rally of the former governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2016 gubernatorial election, to the Edo People Movement, EPM, a faction of the party in the state, was being seen by the factional leaders as Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s way of undermining their relevance in the party, particularly as the feud between him and the governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki rages on.
It will be recalled that EPM is the Abuja faction of the Edo state APC.
A source hinted that some EPM chieftains are at daggers drawn against Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of the APC, over his apparent bias for Pastor Ize Iyamu.
The trio of the former deputy governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Pius Odubu, a former minister of state for Works, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi and former governorship aspirants, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere and Chief Solomon Iyobosa Edebiri, are said to be unhappy at the lack of respect for them and other senior leaders of the EPM by the National Chairman of the APC, and frowned at what they see as his unilateral decision to accept Pastor Ize Iyamu into the EPM shortly after he (Ize Iyamu) had visited him in Abuja to notify him of his defection plans without consulting with them. They further accused Oshiomhole of being dictatorial in his approach to issues.
Our sources added that the trio who are the arrowheads of the opposition to the National Chairman in the EPM, are furious that despite their contributions to the EPM such as the donations of huge sums of money to finance the activities of the group as well as the provision of some of their hotels in Abuja to accommodate some other members of the EPM including top leaders of the EPM and the 12 members-elect of the Edo state Assembly, Oshiomhole has continually taken them for a ride.
They further accuse Oshimhole of his unilateral overreaching decisions such as the decision to accept Pastor Ize Iyamu without due consultation with them and have decided to drive home their message by directing their loyalists across the 18 local government areas of the state to boycott the planned defection rally on Friday in protest.
It will be recalled that the state leader of the APC and Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki as well as the State Chairman of the APC, Barr. Anselm Ojezua have already denounced the planned rally, stating that they are unaware of the said rally and termed it an illegal one and hereby called on all APC faithful in Edo state to shun the rally as it doesn't have the blessings of the State Chapter of the APC.
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