•They are going for financial reward

By Ozioruva Aliu

AHEAD of the September 19 2020 Edo State governorship election, 35 political parties yesterday declared their support for the re-election bid of Governor Godwin Obaseki, saying with his volume of achievement, there was no reason  anybody should contest against him.

Addressing a press conference in Benin City under the name, Coalition of Political Parties (CPP), Chairman of CPP, Hon Collins Oreruan said  the coalition is fully on ground to make sure that the re-election of Obaseki is paramount to them as group.

But reacting to the development, Chairman Edo State APC Media Council John Mayaki said the move was means by the actors to get financial reward from Obaseki.

Oreruan at the press conference said “‘instead  of acting as individual entities, it will be more effective to support the governor as a block with our existing party structure across the state.

READ ALSO: Edo 2020: Obaseki receives Security Vote gives little to Police – Ize Iyamu

“We have advised our individual governorship candidates to withdraw and join hands with Obaseki to build on the growth and developmental legacies and foundation he has laid in his first tenure.

“We shall synergize with the People Democratic Party, PDP, to mobilize the voters at grassroots on the reason   the governor  should be returned as governor”

He  noted that the CPP grassroots campaign would be issue based, highlighting the visible project and programs of Obaseki administration devoid ob lies, false propaganda, insults and character assassination, unfounded and bias political innuendo that breeds hatred, malice and violence.

Mayaki in a statement said “With  this act of betrayal and greed, it is safe to say that these parties have successfully and irrevocably done damage to their integrity and placed a final barrier to any potential for growth and relevance in Edo State.     “They make no attempt to increase their followership, present logical ideas to the people, or even make the most basic preparations for elections, whether statewide or grassroots. Rather, their entire existence is to negotiate and declare support for the highest bidder.

“Luckily for them, they have found a good client in  Godwin Obaseki. As we have repeatedly said, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is not in the business of paying for support. This is why he has focused on selling his manifesto to the people through an issue-based campaign devoid of name-calling and propaganda.

But on the allegation that they were procured by Obaseki, the Secretary of CPP, Shadrack Udagbai denied the allegation saying “There is no truth in that, it is baseless and cannot be substantiated. They do not own us. We have agreed to collapse our structure under the PDP led by Governor Godwin Obaseki. No money was given to us, they should provide evidence because the burden is on the accuser to prove”

Vanguard