Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly and representative of Akoko-Edo Constituency I, Hon. Yekini Idiaye, and four other members of the Assembly have pledged their support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, bringing the numbers of elected members who have declared their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Edo Assembly to 17 out of the 24-member House.
The Deputy Speaker, was joined by Hon. Emmanuel Agbaje, Akoko-Edo Constituency II, Hon. Nosayaba Okunbor, Orhiomwon East Constituency, Hon. Dumez Ugiagbe, Member-elect, Ovia North East Constituency I, and Mr. Vincent Uwadiae, Member-elect, Ovia North East Constituency II, on a solidarity visit to the private residence of Pastor Ize-Iyamu in Benin where they declared their support on yesterday.
Speaking during the visit, the members maintained that they will not leave the APC for another party, assuring Ize-Iyamu of their complete loyalty and commencement of mobilization of voters at the grassroots to secure his victory at the polls.
The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Yekini Idiaye, said he had no reason to join the incumbent Governor in his defection, or to back his re-election bid, because the non-performing administration of Mr. Godwin Obaseki has failed to initiate any developmental project in his constituency despite his consistent intervention efforts.
“There is no reason for me to defect to another party because there is no single project in my village to show under this present administration.
“I am from Somorika, in Akoko Edo Local government area and my village is the most backward in Akoko Edo”, he said.
In the same vein, Hon. Emmanuel Agbaje said the four-year tenure of Governor Godwin Obaseki has been a waste for Edo State and it is time to go to the next level with Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
“There are clear reasons why we are standing for our party because what would have been our problem in making progress has left us.
“I want to assure Edo people that with the emergence of Ize-Iyamu, Edo will move forward”, Agbaje said.
On his own part, Hon. Okunbor said the elected lawmakers believe in party supremacy and will be offering their support to the candidate of the APC, Pastor Ize-Iyamu.
In his remarks, Ize-Iyamu thanked the elected lawmakers for their courage and integrity, while also criticizing the Governor for dividing the state by denying representation to 14 elected lawmakers for over a year.
According to Ize-Iyamu, by the sheer fact that 17 of the 24 members of the Assembly have roundly rejected the Governor, the partial Assembly he forcefully put together, against the resolution of the National Assembly, has now fallen apart.
“Over a year, 14 members have not been allowed to occupy their seats and over half of the state has been deprived of fair representation.
“The Deputy Speaker of the House has come to show courage and integrity that he can no longer support Governor Obaseki. He made it clear that he was appointed under APC and will remain in APC. In a House of 24 members, 17 are no longer supporting the Governor, Obaseki, meaning the house has fallen apart”, the APC governorship candidate said.
He assured the lawmakers of bringing development to their constituencies when elected as Edo Governor, stressing the plans contained in his SIMPLE agenda manifesto to harness the ecotourism potentials of Somorika.