The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, on Sunday, accused his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Isaiah Osifo, of being Governor Godwin Obaseki’s “mouthpiece” ahead of the September 19 election in the state.
Ize-Iyamu, who disclosed this in a statement issued by the Director of Communication and Media Strategy for his campaign organisation, John Mayaki, said it was unfortunate that the LP candidate allowed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to use him for smear campaign and deliberate spread of misinformation.
He said: “We found it incongruous that as a PhD holder, even if obtained from a yet-to-be-identified online program, Dr. Isaiah Osifo willingly sacrificed his integrity to join in the ignorant smear campaign of the PDP which unfortunately equates being named to a case where no court pronouncement has been made as evidence of wrongdoing.
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“It is even more surprising, yet revealing of intent, how in his empty tirades in a press conference fully funded by Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the outgoing Governor of Edo State, who facilitated the controversial emergence of Dr. Osifo as Labour Party’s candidate, the so-called professor conveniently left out Dan Orbih and Tony Aziegbemi, erstwhile and the present chairman of the PDP, who are both parties to the court case he dubiously tagged a criminal prosecution.
“As recent as June, Dr. Isaiah Osifo was a member of the PDP where he indicated an interest in the party’s ticket as he routinely does every four years to enjoy momentary news mentions and proceeds of negotiations. His late-hour exit for the Labour Party was facilitated by Governor Godwin Obaseki who refunded the party’s original sole aspirant the nearly N1 million he spent on forms and singlehandedly installed Osifo to carry out his bidding, one of which he displayed in the shameful press conference.
“We urge the people of Edo State not to heed the words of political jobbers and businessmen who only surface every election cycle to blackmail desperados like Mr. Godwin Obaseki into either purchasing their voice or silence.”
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