— Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu Emerges PDP Candidate
Former aide to Governor Oshiomhole, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has emerged Candidate of the PDP in the September 2016 Gubernatorial Election in Edo State. Ize-Iyamu, 53, was declared winner of the Edo State PDP Gubernatorial Primary Election by the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Engr. Dave Umahi, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State. He scored 584 votes out of the 713 delegates that where accredited and voted.
Premium Times reports that Pastor Ize-Iyamu, who is also a lawyer, defeated two other challengers – Solomon Edebiri; and Mathew Iduoriyekemwen. His closest opponent, Mathew Uduoeyekemwen, according to Mr. Umahi, scored 91 votes while Solomon Edebiri polled 38 votes.
In his acceptance speech, Pastor Ize-Iyamu commended the national leadership of the party and the electoral committee for transparency and fairness in the process. He said the fight to reclaim Edo State would continue until the party produced the governor in the September election.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu was a member of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and led Governor Oshiomhole’s campaign for second term. When Ize-Iyamu fell out with the Governor, he joined the PDP and became Coordinator of the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisation for the 2015 Presidential election.
