By Gabriel Enogholase

The PDP has accused Governor Adams Oshiomhole of denying it the use of the Ogbe Stadium for today’s campaign flag-off saying the denial has worked for the party’s good in leading it to flag off from the House of God.

Party chairman, Dan Orbih said yesterday that after receiving approval from the State Ministry of Sports for the usage of the stadium the ministry turned around at the last minute to cancel the approval.

Ize-Iyamu

Orbih, who was flanked by the party candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, said following the development, the party found a new venue at the Baptist Convention Ground in Benin, adding that “hundreds of Oshiomhole cannot stop the flagging off on Monday.”

Commenting on the leadership crisis in the PDP, he said that with the various judgments delivered on the matter so far, it was clear for everyone to see that Senator Ahmed Makarfi was the constitutionally recognized caretaker chairman of the PDP.

He accused Governor Oshiomhole of sponsoring Thursday’s factional PDP primary election held in Edo State, describing the event as “a gathering of APC members, who voted for a suspended PDP member.”

Also speaking Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who regretted the action of the Edo State government, said opinion poll has shown that the PDP will win the September 10 governorship election resoundingly, adding that 20,000 seats would be moved to the new venue of the flag off.

However, Edo State Commissioner for Sports, Prestley Ediagbonya, refuted the PDP claim that the state government denied the party use of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, saying that he only received PDP’s letter dated June 28, 2016, for the use of the stadium on Friday.

Ediagbonya, who said the letter got to the registry of the Ministry of Sports on the 28th of June, said he could not look into requests made to his Ministry on Thursday as he spent the good part of the day attending a party function.