Edo Poll: PDP Mocks Ize-Iyamu, APC Over ‘Botched Campaign Grand Finale’

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council, on Thursday claimed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate for the Edo poll, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, had given up on their ambition.

The party said its conclusion was based on the inability of the APC to hold its campaign grand finale, scheduled for Wednesday.

A statement by the PDP Spokesman and Secretary, Publicity Sub-Committee of the campaign council, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Governor Godwin Obaseki’s “soaring popularity” across the state had overwhelmed APC and Ize-Iyamu, forcing them to abandon their campaign.

Ologbondiyan said: “We have been made aware that the APC campaign also collapsed under the weight of a bitter division within their ranks over alleged apprehensions of Ize-Iyamu’s possible disqualification due to unresolved legal issues surrounding his nomination; a development for which very influential APC leaders in Edo state as well as APC governors abandoned the campaign.

“Also, the final effort to lift Ize-Iyamu’s campaign with an underhand measure of hiding under the Micro Enterprise Enhancement Scheme (MEES) to attempt to buy the conscience of voters fell flat as the people of Edo state were quick to see through the plot.

“Also, the campaign became frustrated as governors elected on the platform of APC distanced themselves from Ize-Iyamu campaign on the face of a near global sanctions on those undermining the nation’s electoral process.”

He further alleged that Ize-Iyamu and the APC failed to hold a grand finale campaign because they had no message for the people of the state, particularly after “Ize-Iyamu’s dismal performance at Sunday’s election debate.”

The PDP spokesman expressed the party’s sympathy with Ize-Iyamu over “his rejection by members and leaders of his party, leading to the collapse of his campaign.”

Ologbondiyan called on the APC guber hopeful to hold his political godfather, Adams Oshiomhole, responsible “for his woes.”

He added that: “We believe Ize-Iyami should take the next bold step and withdraw from the election.

“Furthermore, our doors are open to our compatriots in the APC who have indicated their resolve to support Governor Obaseki following the collapse of the APC campaign.”

Both Ize-Iyamu and APC have yet to react to this.

The Edo governorship election comes up on Saturday, September 19th.