Threats of Violence: Call Oshiomhole, Ize-Iyamu to Order, PDP Charges Buhari
Kola Ologbondiyan
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council for Edo State Governorship Election has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in on the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, and the APC governorship candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu, over their constant threat of mayhem in Edo State during the September 19 elections.
PDP also urged Oshiomhole to conduct his campaigns for the APC governorship candidate, Ize Iyamu, based on issues and not resort to threats of violence, reminding him of his campaign slogan of ‘one man, one vote’ when he was the governor of the state.
In the same vein, the PDP said what happened during the Kano and Kogi States governorship elections which was marred by violence would not be allowed to repeat itself in the September 19 election in Edo State.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, who is also the Secretary of the Edo State National Campaign Council, said it is time President Buhari intervened and halted the violence threats from Oshiomhole in the overall interest of peace in the state governorship election.
According to him, “Our campaign has noted the trend and propensity by Ize Iyamu and Oshiomhole campaign to entrench violence in Edo State. We strongly caution Oshiomhole to stop overheating the polity in the state and the country just because he and his candidate have no agenda to market to the people of Edo State.
“Oshiomhole should remember that Edo State is called the ‘Heartbeat of the Nation’, and he should not create the crisis that would have a spiral effect to other parts of the country. We hereby call on President Buhari to rein in on Oshiomhole, whom his party had summarily dismissed and now hovering around Edo State seeking where to perch.”
Ologbondiyan explained that the people of the state already understood Oshiomhole’s footprint as the antics of a self-confessed liar, who has admitted that he had no principle spreading falsehood in public to achieve selfish objectives.
The PDP spokesman alleged that “Oshiomhole’s footprint as the governor of Edo State have always remained the intimidation of widows, alleged suppression of personal freedom of citizens, entrenchment of corruption and unbridled treasury looting, for which the Edo people have been demanding his prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).”
The PDP wondered if that is the footprint Ize-Iyamu said he would be following-the style of an individual who is always associated with engendering confusion, quarreling, disagreements and disunity.
He stated that Nigerians can recall how Oshiomhole’s national chairmanship of the APC destroyed the party as well as how his leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led to bitter disagreements and divisions in the labour front.
“Our party’s national campaign is however not amazed that Ize-Iyamu, having become overburdened by reputation issues, surrendered the APC candidacy to another discredited individual, who was suspended by his kinsmen at his ward and disgracefully kicked out as the national chairman of his party.
“Given this sad declaration to continue where Oshiomhole stopped, Ize-Iyamu has shown to the people of Edo State and Nigerians in general that he has no credible principles but only seeks to hijack governance for selfish purpose,” Ologbondiyan stated.
