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Pastor Ize-Iyamu

By Gabriel Olawale

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organisation has berated the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu for challenging Pastor Ize-Iyamu to an open debate, saying the Deputy Governor lacks moral right to do so.

Speaking through the Director of Communication and Media, Mr. John Mayaki, the Campaign organisation  said that its ironical that the Deputy Governor claimed his boss is humble and well-loved by the common man yet they are fighting desperately for an election process that strips the common man the powers to determine the flagbearer of the party.

If any of the things Shaibu claim is true, why is he and his boss virulently opposing a direct primary process that would give the people at the grassroots a chance to repay Obaseki for his self-acclaimed good services to them?

READ ALSO: Edo: Buhari wades in, receives Obaseki, to meet Oshiomhole

If Philip Shaibu had any understanding of how governance works, he would know that as the incumbent, there is no need to stage debates before the administration he holds a senior position in gives an account of its stewardship to the people of Edo State and unravel the mystery behind how the state racked up so many foreign debts and paid high commissions to Obasekis AfriInvest without any commensurate development to show for the loans.

The Deputy Governor can begin the charade he calls an open invitation to transparency and accountability by explaining to the people of Edo State how as at April, the task force he was appointed to chair on COVID-19 spent over a billion naira of taxpayers money at the time doctors were crowd-sourcing funds from individual donors to purchase basic Personal Protective Equipment in Edo State.

It is the same COVID-19 which Shaibus task force claimed to have spent over a billion naira managing in April that they are now shamefully manipulating and conjuring numbers to force a change in the adoption of a direct mode of primary that will involve all registered members of the party.

In any case, if a debate is what will make the Obaseki-administration give an account of what happened to the promised GeleGele seaport, Edo Industrial Park, Sobe farm and the failed Agripreneur program, then we welcome the challenge of Philip Shaibu. We however advise that they send a worthy representative with better grammar competence than the Deputy Governor whose last outing on AIT was nothing but a disaster.

Its sad that the Deputy Governor now accused the National Chairman of creating a political system that is difficult to implement, but every reasonable person in Edo State knows that this is a shameful attempt to revise recent history. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole spearheaded a political revolution that was premised on the democratic principle of one man, one vote and remains true to that today even in his position as the leader of a political party.

There are a lot of achievements Comrade Adams Oshiomhole recorded as a two-term governor of Edo State. If Philip Shaibu needs a refresher, he can ask for a copy of his principals inauguration speech and hear from the horses mouth how Comrade Oshiomhole transformed Edo State and introduced reforms that placed the state firmly on the path of development and progress. We have a copy we can mail to the Deputy Governor provided he sends in an address.

Yet, so that no one is mistaken, this is not about Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. Philip Shaibu and other Obaseki minions are merely trying to avoid scrutiny by dragging the National Chairman into their empty media ramblings,” he disclosed.

Vanguard