Group Asks Buhari to Call Oshiomhole, Ize-Iyamu to Order over Alleged Incitement

Ignore Obaseki’s self-seeking pity, propaganda, APC replies

By Adibe Emenyonu

A coalition of Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in Edo State yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, and candidate of the APC for the September 19 governorship election in the state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyami, to order over alleged inciting comments to cause violence.

The CBOs are Midwest Progressive Forum (MPF), Afemai Peace Initiative, Edo Youths United for Justice and Democracy (EYFD), and Niger Delta Professionals Alliance.

The group at a media conference in Benin-city yesterday also alleged that Ize-Iyami held a clandestine meeting with group of political thugs in his private residence with a view to mobilising them “to collectively move from different polling units, wards to local government area “in order to “obtain favourable results for him.”

Members of the coalition said the alleged secret meeting with the said political thugs was for “a rigging operation code named ‘operation show your results’.”

Addressing journalists at the briefing, spokesperson for the groups, Mr. Andrew Adaze Emwanta, stated that: “Our attention has been drawn to a video circulating on social media of a clandestine meeting which the embattled governorship candidate of the APC, Ize-Iyamu, had with a group of political thugs in Benin-city.

“In that meeting, Ize-Iyamu told the gathering that ‘as very dangerous persons who they are on election day, they should collectively move from different polling unit to another, from one ward to another; and from one local government area to another to obtain favourable results for him on a rigging operation code-named: ‘Operation Show Results’.”

Emwanta, who is also the coordinator of Midwest Progressive Forum (MPF) and the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Public Affairs to Governor Godwin Obaseki further alleged that “Oshiomhole is now a clear and present danger to peace and security in Edo State.

“The Court of Appeal has confirmed the suspension of Oshiomhole as a member of the APC. If Oshiomhole’s suspension as a member of the APC has been approved by the Nigerian judiciary, in what capacity is he now acting on behalf of the APC?” He queried.

But in a swift reaction, the APC Campaign Council described the statement accredited to the CBOs as shameless lamentation typical of electoral propagandists, who have nothing to offer the people but propaganda.

The Chairman of the Edo State APC Media Campaign Council, Mr. John Mayaki, in a statement yesterday in Benin-city, noted that the group is probably “a surrogate of the state Governor, Obaseki, who has failed to provide a solid based campaign and catalog of what his administration has done in four years, but now resorted to mudslinging, conspiracy twigging and dishonourable falsehood spewed to gain public pity through none existing Community Based Organisations.”

He further pointed out that the coalition call to the president is a vain attempt after wasting their own productive time because the president knows them for what they are, “a bunch of unserious hypocrites.”