Tony Osauzo, Benin
Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has emerged as the consensus governorship aspirant of a faction of the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He was said to have come tops after screening by a committee set up for the selection process.
Other aspirants who were screened alongside Ize-Iyamu are former deputy governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu, Engr Chris Ogiemwonyi, Gen Charles Airhiavbere, Hon E J Agbonyima, Saturday Uwulekhue and Prof Ebegue Amadasun, while Solomon Edebiri was said to have voluntarily withdrawn his aspiration.
From the development, and barring any last-minute twist, Pastor Ize-Iyamu and incumbent governor Godwin Obaseki now look set to face each other for the APC governorship ticket come June 22nd.
It was learnt that all the aspirants in the contest have contributed three million naira each to buy the party’s N22.5 million Nomination and Expression Interest Form for Pastor Ize-Iyamu.
Confirming Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s emergence as the consensus aspirant, Lawrence Okah, state secretary of the party, said: ‘We are going with him to pick the form now.
‘There is harmony in the family. We just have one common enemy – Obaseki should go. That’s all.’