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Published on 2024-02-16 14:59:08
Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a leading contender in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Edo 2024 governorship race, has decided to step down from the competition. This surprising twist occurred just a day before the scheduled primary election set to take place on Friday, February 16. This announcement followed the news of another former House of Representatives member, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, withdrawing from the race due to the tragic death of his son in the United States.
Ize-Iyamu’s withdrawal notice, addressed to the national chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and the acting state chairman of the party, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, was made public by The Punch. The unexpected decision has sparked a series of speculations and discussions within the political sphere.
Rumors have surfaced claiming that the leadership of the APC at both the state and national levels, as well as Senator Adams Oshiomhole, may be inclined towards giving the party’s ticket to Dennis Idahosa, the member representing Ovia Federal Constituency. This has further fueled the intrigue surrounding Ize-Iyamu’s abrupt exit from the primary election.
Meanwhile, Agbonayinma, after dropping out of the governorship race, urged his supporters and fellow party members in Ikpoba-Okha local government to unite and throw their weight behind whoever emerges as the party’s candidate in the upcoming primary election.
In a separate development, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state has been under fire on social media after a video went viral showing him shunning a handshake from his deputy, Philip Shaibu. The governor’s strained relationship with Shaibu, attributed to their conflicting views on Obaseki’s preferred successor and the upcoming People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election, has become a topic of widespread discussion.
Despite Obaseki’s repeated denials of supporting an anointed candidate, his apparent reluctance to back his deputy in his bid to succeed him has drawn significant attention. The evident discord between the governor and his deputy was starkly demonstrated when Obaseki declined to engage in a handshake with Shaibu during the second-term inauguration of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa state.
The sudden withdrawals of high-profile aspirants such as Ize-Iyamu and Agbonayinma, along with the controversial dynamics between Governor Obaseki and his deputy, have added new layers of complexity to the political landscape in Edo state. These recent developments are expected to have a substantial impact on the upcoming primary elections as the race for the state’s leadership intensifies.
Beyond these internal party dynamics, the broader implications of these events are yet to be fully understood. As Edo state prepares for the crucial governorship election in September 2024, the ramifications of these recent changes and divisions within the political arena are likely to play a significant role in shaping the future of the state. The unfolding drama within the APC and PDP, alongside the heated contest between the incumbent governor and his deputy, has injected a newfound sense of urgency and anticipation into the upcoming election.
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