Edo APC crisis: Obaseki disowns reception rally for Ize-Iyamu

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki



The crisis rocking the Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), worsened on Tuesday, as embattled Governor Godwin Obaseki, denied knowledge of a rally planned by the party to hold in Benin City, on Friday, 13 December.

According to  PM News,   State chairman of the party, Barr. Anselm Ojezua, described the rally as provocative and the handiwork of mischievous persons.

According to sources, the mega rally is to receive a former governorship candidate of the PDP, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and hundreds of his supporters, to the APC.

It was gathered that party bigwigs from Abuja will be at the rally to receive the defectors.

Oshiomhole and Obaseki: crisis worsens

Obaseki told journalists after meeting with heads of security agencies in the state at Government House, in Benin City, the Edo State capital that he is in the dark about the rally,

“I have checked with the state APC secretariat and as far as I am concerned, the party has not announced officially that they will be having a rally.”

He said issues of public safety was reviewed at the security meeting, particularly in relation to the yuletide season.

“The issue of public safety is a major concern to us as a government and this being the last security council meeting for the year, we had to put up measures in place to tackle security challenges,” he said.

On his part, Ojezua in a statement on Tuesday, said the planned rally is capable of disrupting peace in the state.

He noted that neither the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki who is the leader of the APC in Edo State nor other leaders of the party are aware of the purported declaration rally.

He therefore urged members of the APC in the state not to have anything to do with the event.

“The attention of the party has been drawn to an information being circulated by some unauthorised people to the effect that the APC in the state is receiving some new members on Friday 13, December 2019, at Garrick Memorial School, Ekenwan Road, Benin City.

“It is therefore highly provocative and capable of creating breach of peace.

“The organisers of that event are sufficiently seasoned and experienced as politicians to know the proper procedure and tradition usually attendant to this sort of event.”