Tony Osauzo, Benin

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State to contest in the September 19 gubernatorial election.

He scored 27, 838 votes to defeat two other aspirants, Osaro Obazee who polled 2,324 and former deputy governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu‎, scored 3,776 votes, respectively.

Announcing the result of the primary, the Chairman of Governorship Primary Election Committee and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, said before the commencement of the primary election that the committee had received a notice of withdrawal from the contest from Hon Obazee and Dr O‎dubu and that the exercise had to commence in line with standard practice.

‘Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu who scored 27,838 votes has the highest votes and he is hereby returned as the candidate of the APC for the election,’ Uzodinma said.

He commended members of his committee, security agents in Edo and representatives of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo and Abuja, for their roles in delivering a peaceful, clinical and transparent election.

The Imo governor commended the two other aspirants, Osaro Obazee and Dr Pius Odubu‎ and party members for their loyalty and expressed hope that Edo State which was originally APC state will remain so after the governorship.

The declaration of the result was witnessed by Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Johnson Alalibo, the Director of Department of State Service (DSS), Waziri Mohammed and the State Commissioner of Police, Jonhson Kokumo.

Later in an interview with journalists, Governor Uzodinma said: ‘Edo State belongs to APC. I am a member of APC. I am committed to my party. I will do everything to encourage Edo people to vote for APC. So that a few weeks from now, we will recover Edo State back to APC.’

Addressing journalists shortly after he was declared the winner of the primary election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, gave glory to God for making the exercise possible devoid of any incident of violence in the 192 wards, stressing: ‘We were able to do the primary without violating COVID-19 law.’

He commended Governor Uzodinma and his committee for a good job, also thanking Dr Pius Odubu and Osaro Obazee and leaders of the APC in the 192 wards.

According to Ize-Iyamu, by the process of the primary election, full reconciliation and recovery of the APC were assured.

He saluted Governor Godwin Obaseki and appealed to him to return to the party, saying that he (Ize-Iyamu) made the mistake before.

‘In APC, he is recognised as a leader, in the new party he is going to, he would not be recognised as a leader,’ the party candidate said.

The APC flagbearer sued for a peaceful electoral campaign, saying ‘we have shown that example today.’