Edo governorship election 2020: Obaseki vs Oshiomole, Edo State APC news

Edo governorship election 2020: Obaseki vs Oshiomole, Edo State APC news – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed September 19th 2020 for the governorship election in Edo state, this page will be updated daily with all the news relating to Oshiomole vs Obaseki and PDP vs APC including following all the intrigues of the campaign train.

Although the quarrel between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole began with the muscle flexing that preceded the primaries that threw up the party candidates in the 2019 general election, the real fight festered with the nocturnal inauguration of 10 members of state lawmakers, which saw the outing of 14 others even when later showed up to join others, they are yet to be inaugurated.

Today the controversy have metamorphosed into the battle of giant ego vs power tussle between the former comrades, this post will equally be updated with all the news coming out of Edo state, Oshiomole vs Obaseki which will no doubt shape the Edo State governorship election 2020.

Below are the top 10 trending news on Edo governorship election 2020, Obaseki vs Oshiomole as at today Wednesday March, 11th, 2020:

1) Why I want to be Edo gov – Ize-Iyamu: A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the September 19  Edo State gubernatorial election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has explained that he wants to be governor to enable him to impact on the people of the state through the provision of social amenities.

He stated this when a group, ‘Safe Edo Movement’ met to invite him to contest for the governorship of the state.

‎He said though he is a successful farmer and businessman, the satisfaction level he would get impacting on the people can only come through deploying government resources to provide for the needs of people.

He said in his era as Secretary to Edo State Government, the Lucky Igbinedion administration employed over 4,000 teachers many of who he said, have retired from service with the result that many schools in the state now have one or two teachers, following the government’s failure to employ teachers.

Quoting Proverb 19, Ize-Iyamu said pastors are in politics because the Bible says when the righteous are in authority the people rejoice.

In accepting the group’s invitation to contest for the state governorship position, Pastor Ize-Iyamu said: “I want to with humility and all‎ sense of responsibility, accept the call out that you have made,” even as he thanked the group for its vote of confidence in him and for identifying with the people of the state.

2) No automatic tickets for Obaseki, others, Edo APC faction insists – A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo at the weekend ruled out an automatic ticket for any of the aspirants running under the party for this year’s governorship election in the state, maintaining that the lucky person must emerge through a credible primary that fulfils the spirit and letter of the constitution of the ruling political grouping.

The factional chairman, Col. David Imuse (rtd), at a press conference in Benin City, insisted that all contenders must submit themselves a properly organised primary.

He noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki would not be exempted “if he chooses to remain in the APC.”

Imuse claimed: “All indications are that Obaseki has been going around shopping for a political party that will accept him to foist himself on the political class to actualise his desperate bid for a second term in office.

3) Oshiomhole absent as APC NWC meets, prepares for NEC meeting – The National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday met behind closed doors with the suspended National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, conspicuously absent.

The Guardian learnt that the March 17, 2020 emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, billed to be attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, topped the agenda of the issues discussed at the parley.

Meanwhile, the party’s state chairmen forum appeared to be divided on the issue of the suspension order slammed on Oshiomhole.

Publicity Secretary of the forum, Mr. Lawal Liman, dissociated himself from what he termed “the fraudulent vote of confidence” passed on Oshiomhole by the forum’s Chairman, Ali Bukar Dalori and Secretary, Dr. Ben Nwoye, on Monday.

He said that it was untrue that state chairmen actually met in Abuja and endorsed Oshiomhole’s continuous stay in office.

4) We’re monitoring developments on Oshiomhole — Tinubu’s camp: The National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu As the APC crisis lingers, top shots of the party in Lagos are strategising to protect the interest of the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, findings by Daily Trust have shown.

Many of the loyalists and associates of the APC leader and former Lagos State governor declined to comment openly on the crisis, saying they were being tactical since their principal has not made any open comment on the development. “But certainly many things are going on behind the scenes which we don’t want to comment openly about.

“At the appropriate time, we will make our position known on the issue but we are being tactical now that Asiwaju, who is our principal, has not said anything,” one of the APC chieftains who pleaded anonymity said.

5) APC CRISIS: State chairmen divided over Oshiomhole – THE festering crisis ravaging the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, assumed a new dimension, yesterday, as state chairmen became divided over the issue.

While 23 of the state chairmen are in support of the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and passed a confidence vote on him, 14 chairmen denied doing so, adding that they had not met but would meet before next Tuesday’s National Executive Committee, NEC meeting.

Meanwhile, Oshiomhole was absent as no fewer than eight members of the National Working Committee, NWC, yesterday, resumed work following the decision of the Police to unseal the party’s national secretariat, on Monday.

While Vanguard gathered that the NWC members met for a few hours, it was not clear what the agenda of the meeting was. However, a party official disclosed that the meeting was in connection with the March 17 NEC meeting.

This happened on a day that a chieftain of the APC in Edo,  Maj.-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, retd, disclosed that he and other stalwarts had joined forces to back up President Muhammadu Buhari and  Oshiomhole to resolve the crisis plaguing the party.

Those who attended the NWC meeting include the acting National Secretary, Chief Victor Giadom, who presided; National Vice Chairman, North-East, Comrade Mustapha Salihu; National Vice Chairman, South West, Barr. Bankole Oluwajana; and the National Organizing Secretary, Emma Ibediro.

6) Edo Election: EU tasks politicians on restraint in quests for power – Mr Ketil Karlsen, European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, has urged politicians to show restraints in their quest for power.

Karlsen gave the advice on Thursday in Benin during a visit to Chief Dan Orbih, state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and leaders of the party.

He also appealed for peace and non-violence in the forthcoming Edo governorship election, adding that the EU was also meeting with other political parties on the same message.

He advocated collaborative effort in order to amend the electoral law and pledged EU’s willingness to support the process.

He explained that the EU has over 3,000 projects across the Niger Delta and was partnering with Edo Government on many projects.

Karlsen also noted the role of the EU in the repatriation of youths trapped along illegal migrants routes and rehabilitating them to cut the illegal trade.

7) How Bayelsa verdict weighs against Oshiomhole as Edo guber race draws near – As Edo State 2020 governorship election draws nearer, stakeholders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and across the country have continued to express worry over the chances of their party retaining power. One of their major concerns is the dimension to which the ongoing face-off between the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole and the incumbent, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has gone.

With Bayelsa State already lost to the opposition due to the party’s inability to handle its affairs well under the watch of Oshiomhole, stakeholders’ fears for Edo have become palpable. Some stakeholders have called what happened in Bayelsa as an unforgivable act of impunity on the part of the party’s leadership led by Oshiomhole. This is more so after a similar incident cost the party Taraba State only last year.

8) Edo 2020: Ize-Inyamu speaks on consensus candidate for APC – A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has said it could be a welcome development for APC to have a consensus candidate for the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Mr Ize-Iyamu was a governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2016 governorship election in Edo.

He recently decamped from PDP to APC, fueling suspicion that he may have the backing of the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, for the APC governorship ticket in the state.

“I am a team player. I think if we can get to a level we can actually engage ourselves, interface, and then come up with a consensus, it saves a lot of money, a lot of stress, a lot of bitterness, a lot of rivalry, you know, I will be fine,” Mr Ize-Iyamu said in a video posted recently on YouTube.

The politician said there is nothing wrong with APC having a consensus candidate for the election. He revealed that he and three others are holding talks in that regard.

9) Oshiomhole has not endorsed any governorship candidate ― Ize-Iyamu: ALL Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant in the 2020 governorship election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has stated that the National Chairman of the party Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has not endorsed any aspirant to succeed the incumbent governor of the State Mr. Godwin Obaseki.

Ize-Iyamu said this while speaking with journalists in Benin on Tuesday.

He decried the high level of intolerance among some APC members especially against those who were not supporting the re-election bid of Governor Godwin Obaseki describing such action as ‘political immaturity’.

10) Edo PDP at the Crossroads Over Zoning – Adibe Emenyonu writes that the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State looks good to cause an upset in the governorship election in the state, if it manages critical decisions at its upcoming congress well

It is expected that with the bad blood and crisis within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State,  its rival, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would take the advantage to block all loopholes, emerge stronger and take over governance in the state.

Late last year, when the party caucus led by former governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion hosted a meeting in his residence in Benin City, a statement emerged that the party agreed that positions; particularly the state chairmanship and governorship will not be zoned.

11) ‘All-knowing’ Oshiomhole destroying APC, says Muiz Banire – A former national legal adviser of Nigeria’s ruling party has accused the party’s chairman of ruining it and asked him to “step aside”

Muiz Banire said Adams Oshiomhole’s consolidation of powers in himself stifled due process and created room for an improper screening of party candidates in past elections.

“Lust as the national chairman was the chairman of the appeal body of the party for the complaints from primaries, he equally headed the appeal screening committee from which appeals arising from the screening exercises terminated,” Banire said in an opinion piece on Thursday.