Edo election: Obaseki may lose if we underrate Ize-Iyamu - PDP chieftain warns

Okharedia Ihimekpen, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state, has cautioned leaders and members of his party not to underrate the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

The Nation reports that Ihimekpen, said this on Monday, July 6, at an interactive session with reporters in Benin, expressed optimism that Governor Godwin Obaseki would emerge victorious on September 19, but added that PDP members in Edo must work much harder.

Legit.ng gathered that Ihimekpen said Ize-Iyamu is a strong tactician, adding that he is very perfect in planning and he is a grassroots man. 

He said: “I know that Pastor Ize-Iyamu is a strong tactician, he is very perfect in planning and he is a grassroots man. You do not underrate him, if you do, it is at your peril. So, if you say I am a governor, nothing is happening, you sit down and swim in joy, thinking that you have arrived; you will only be deceiving yourself. If you do not close mark Pastor Ize-Iyamu, you will be shocked. 

The governorship candidate of APC, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Twitter/Ize-Iyamu. Source: Twitter “Look at the person that Pastor Ize-Iyamu picked as his running mate, Hon. Ganiyu Audu, also a grassroots politician from Edo North senatorial district as the deputy to Governor Obaseki, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu. Hon. Audu is the engine room of Edo North senatorial district and he is a perfect gentleman, who knows what politics is all about. 

“The combination of Pastor Ize-Iyamu, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the former national chairman of APC/ex-governor of Edo state and Audu, coupled with the sympathy of the people of Edo North senatorial district for their son (Oshiomhole) is a danger that the PDP members must contend with. He said: “Winning the September 19 election is a 50/50 chance for Governor Obaseki because the disaster that happened to Comrade Oshiomhole lately has brought all the people of Edo North senatorial district together to be in sympathy with him.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Prince Kassim Afegbua, a member of PDP and former commissioner for information and orientation in Edo state, reiterated that he would not back Governor Godwin Obaseki's re-election bid. It was reported that Afegbua said due to his stance, he has been inundated with phone calls by party chieftains who felt his recent outburst against Governor Obaseki was unfair.