By SIMON EBEGBULEM

THE crisis rocking the Edo State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) over the refusal by the faction of the party led by the South-South Vice-Chairman, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, to endorse the deputy governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu, as running mate to Governor Adams Oshiomhole for the 2012 governorship election in the state worsened Saturday, when another attempt to endorse Odubu in his local government council of Orhiomwnon was frustrated.

Attempts to endorse the deputy governor by the Iyamu group was frustrated last Wednesday during an enlarged meeting of the leadership of the party in Edo, when the Iyamu group endorsed Oshiomhole for a second term but not his deputy.

The group had informed the governor to drop Odubu so as to enjoy their support for the 2012 guber race. But after the plot to endorse the deputy governor failed during the Wednesday meeting, the faction of the party led by him went to his local government to endorse him, but the Ize-Iyamu group got wind of it and stormed the arena.

When it became clear to the ACN chairman in the local government, Mr Martins Ehigie that youths loyal to Iyamu had taken over the meeting, he was forced to endorse only Oshiomhole and left the issue of his deputy.

Odubu’s failure to secure the endorsement of Orhionmwon, where he hails from, is seen largely as a bad omen and may puncturet his ambition to return as deputy governor of Edo. It was learnt that the group had perfected plans to tour the seven local government councils in the South with a view to secure endorsement for the deputy governor.

But the Iyamu group, which has vowed to stop him, is said to be monitoring the situation.