Tony Osauzo, Benin
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Mr Osarobo Idahosa, has expressed optimism that the legacies of former APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole would guarantee victory for the party in the September 19 governorship election in the State.
Idahosa, the APC leader in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in Benin City.
Lamenting that there was no continuity to what Oshiomhole bequeathed to the State following his two terms of successful administration of the State as Governor, Idahosa stressed that had there be continuity in some of the policies Oshiomhole left, the governorship poll would not have been difficult against the former opposition party in the State, People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
He, however, pointed out that aside Oshiomhole’s factor, the candidate being presented by the APC has further enhanced the chances of the party in the gubernatorial election.
‘Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is a grassroots politician who is at home with both the young and old, man and woman across the three Senatorial districts of the State.
‘With his pedigree as a politician in addition to the performance of Oshiomhole as Governor, there is no doubt that the APC will win the election on September 19.
‘The election of Ize-Iyamu will also ensure the continuity of Oshiomhole’s projects that the PDP candidate failed to build upon,’ Idahosa added.
The Ikpoba-Okha leader, while promising that they (Ikpoba-Okha) will deliver 100 percent votes for the party during the poll, said their job was made easier by some few persons who held the council area as an appendage of their personal businesses.
He said coupled with the coming on board of some notable personalities in Ikpoba-Okha, the job of delivering the council to the party has been made easy.
According to him, not only did these few persons failed to attract meaningful development to the Local Government, they are politicians who have fallen out of favour with the people.
‘This is the reason why you see that they have become desperate and have so resorted to recruiting thugs for the poll,’ he said.
Idahosa urged his supporters to eschew any form of violent tendencies and work hard and not be complacent towards ensuring victory for the APC.