The support base of Muhammadu Buhari, largely the talakawas, are waiting to see how the man they laboured hard, at no price on two transitional elections, to vote into power as President will grant audience to, endorse and publicly campaign for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who his government is currently prosecuting for corruption, to be voted for as governor in the September 19, 2020 Edo State governorship election.
The President’s support base was not alone in the waiting but also members of opposition looking forward to hold on to a long sought opportunity to justifiably go after the President. The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has always believed that anti-corruption fight of President Buhari selective.
This was coming as All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state suspended the formal flag-off of its governorship campaign indefinitely, following alleged refusal by 14 out of 18 governors elected on the platform of the party to embrace or endorse the Ize-Iyamu governorship project described by a source as a”future that is shrouded in a dense fog of uncertainty as candidate of the party in the election.”
Because of this development, Pastor Ize-Iyamu “continues to struggle through a significant logjam in his most ambitious and dangerous political endeavour,” the source said.
Investigation revealed that the governors’ decision to distance themselves from the Pastor Ize-Iyamu campaign bothers on alleged failure of the Oshiomhole camp to carry out the directive of the Chairman of APC Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Committee, Governor, Mai-Mala Buni.
Buni, who is governor of Yobe State, had reportedly directed renegade factions of the party in Edo State to fuse into the leadership of Barrister Anselm Ojezua.
It was gathered that the directive was part of peace deal reached after the APC National Executive Council (NEC) sacked the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party led by its former Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on June 25, 2020 after the crisis rocking the party attained its apex level ahead of the 2023 general election.
Speaking at a zoom meeting with sub-coordinators of his campaign recently, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, reportedly described the decision of the APC governors to abandon him mid-way as distasteful and unfortunate. The truth is that they have stood with their brother, Godwin Obaseki and were never with Ize Iyamu, it was said.
A personal aide to Pastor Ize-Iyamu, hinted that his Principal almost broke down in tears while lamenting over the development, and knowing full well that they are behind Obaseki.
“I am fully aware that about 14 APC Governors are not for us. The most worrisome aspect of it is that, they are neither hiding nor apologetic about why they are not supporting him.”
According to the report, no APC governor is willing to reach out to the Oshiomhole camp. In APC circles, Oshiomhole is a political leper. No one wants to identify with him.
An aide to one of the Governors, who mobilised for Edo State, said their support is for the Anslem Ojezua led APC exco, the recognised Edo exco, shunned by Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu.
He added that some governors are mobilising directly to Governor Obaseki as they want him to complete eight years.
The source also quoted the Edo APC Governorship Candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, also blames his travails on the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole over their unwillingness to reconcile with their former allies including most of the APC northern Governors to have a change of heart.
This has paved the way for the opposition party to fully crush the APC campaign, made possible by the preference of the 14 APC governors for Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki.
But Ize-Iyamu, according to the source, was however encouraged at the meeting not to throw in the towel, despite the daunting challenges ahead of him including his inability to agree with Oshiomhole on a particular venue for the formal flag-off of his campaign and the blackout he is facing from Abuja.
“If Abuja continues to black Ize-Iyamu out, it will mean an end to a dubious era when alleged criminals facing trials, were allowed to run for public offices. It would add to the Buhari legacy.
“From the happenings in Edo, Godwin Obaseki is merely waiting to be sworn in again even as the Oshiomhole camp has nothing but fake news which Edo people are frowning at,” the source said.
