Obaseki rejects Ize-Iyamu, Oshiomhole’s congratulatory messages

Uche EmmanuelJune 1, 2021

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Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has rejected the congratulatory message from the former National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, and the party candidate of the September 2020 governorship election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

On Monday, May 31, the APC candidate for the 2020 Governorship Election in Edo, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, had congratulated Governor Godwin Obaseki on his victory at the Supreme Court.

Mr Ize-Iyamu in a letter to the governor said that the Friday’s judgment of the apex court has put an end to the series of litigations on the governorship poll that returned Obaseki for a second term.

The APC candidate asked Obaseki to accept his congratulatory message since all the cases were over.

“For the records, Your Excellency, your supporters had instituted 13 different pre-election cases against my deputy and I; all seeking to disqualify us from participating in the election.

“On our part, our party, the APC had only one case against Your Excellency and your party.

“We also deliberately did not go to the Elections Tribunal, not because we did not have issues but because we felt it was better to allow you to face the job at hand, moreso as our party at the national level had congratulated you.

“We are happy that all these cases have come to an end. Now that it is all over, please accept my congratulations,” he said.

Moreover, former National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and two-time governor of Edo, Adams Oshiomhole, has also begged Governor Godwin Obaseki to be magnanimous in victory after the Supreme Court verdict.

In a congratulatory message to the governor on his victory at the Supreme Court on Monday, Mr Oshiomhole said the rift between him and Mr Obaseki was an unfortunate incident which he has forgotten.

Mr Oshiomhole also begged Mr Obaseki to be fair to everyone in the state regardless of political affiliations.

“Congratulation on your victory at the Supreme Court, which has effectively laid to rest all matters arising from the last election,” Mr Oshiomhole said.

He added, “As I had repeatedly reminded you during our several meetings, our relationship has through the years developed beyond being friends to brothers of different parents.”

He also advised Mr Obaseki to be “magnanimous in victory,” adding that the Edo governor should govern the state as the leader of all Edo people regardless of political leanings.

“Whatever happened is unfortunate,” said Mr Oshiomhole, adding, “please accept the renewed assurances of my very best wishes and high regards.”

In reacting, Governor Obaseki said if the opposition party leaders were serious about their congratulatory letter, they would have printed it on a letterhead paper with signature rather than posting it on the internet.

While addressing a large gathering in Benin City, the state capital, on Tuesday as part of the celebration to mark Friday’s Supreme Court victory he said, if the opposition party leaders were serious about their congratulatory letter, they would have printed it on a letterhead paper with signature rather than posting it on the internet.

According to him, Edo will never fall for such cheap messages called congratulatory letters, they are not serious, ‘na today, na today we do election, na today we win’. They are full of tricks.

“The APC in Abuja is being run just like what they did in Edo when they were in power in Edo State. There is a problem in Nigeria. The country has money but until we change our mind set that taxpayers money must be used to work for the people and not for very few. We have to pray that what happened in Edo will happen in Abuja.

‘’The only party that has the right people for the job is the People Democratic Party (PDP) come 2023. Forward ever, backward never”, Edo must move forward, he added.