By Patrick Ochoga
The consensus candidacy of Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu, Edo faction of the All Progressive Congress, APC, loyal to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole against Governor Godwin Obaseki, has collapsed, as members of the consensus group have jilted the agreement and purchased Expression of Interest forms to contest in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election scheduled for June 22, 2020.
As at the last check, the aspirants who are members of the Edo People’s Movement, EPM who have purchased the forms include former Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu; former Minister of State for Works, Mr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, and former Chairman, Oredo Local Government Area (LGA), Hon. Osaro Obaze.
The last minutes move is said to have rubbished months of horse-trading among members of the group, who had formed a factional structure to destabilise the APC in the state. After series of back and forth among their ranks, the group had settled on the choice of Pastor Ize-Iyamu, who was consequently announced as its consensus candidate resulting in the procurement of a waiver for him from the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
A source close to EPM said the move by Odubu and others have shattered the agreement reached to join forces among them to oust the governor, lamenting that the new turn of events would whittle the strength of the group to fight as a united front.
According to the source, “All is not well in their rank as I speak to you. There are pictures flying around on social media that Dr. Odubu, Hon. Obaze and Mr. Ogiemwonyi have picked forms. Odubu, few days ago, congratulated Pastor Ize-Iyamu and vowed to mobilise resources to work for him across the wards in the state. But this new twist is unnerving. All is not well, I bet you.”
Another source said the development may be a fallout of the meeting between the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) led by Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State to the National Leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu in Lagos.
He said, “It may have happened that Pastor Ize-Iyamu may have not really been a favoured candidate as has been canvassed all along. The meeting with Tinubu may have put a lie to Pastor Ize-Iyamu’s grandstanding. So, we are very wary of what might happen in the coming days. This is surely the end of the EPM as we know it.”
