Ize-Iyamu Congratulates Obaseki Over Supreme Court Judgment

Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2020 Governorship election in Edo State, on Monday, congratulated Governor Godwin Obaseki on his victory at the Supreme Court.

Ize-Iyamu, in a letter to the governor, said that the judgment of the apex court on Friday had put an end to the series of litigations on the governorship poll that returned Obaseki for a second term.

The APC candidate, in the letter, asked Obaseki to accept his congratulatory message since all the cases were over.

“For the records, Your Excellency, your supporters had instituted 13 different pre-election cases against my deputy and I, all seeking to disqualify us from participating in the election.

“On our part, our party, the APC, had only one case against Your Excellency and your party.

“We also deliberately did not go to the elections petition tribunal not because we did not have issues but because we felt it was better to allow you to face the job at hand, more so as our party at the national level had congratulated you.

“We are happy that all these cases have come to an end. Now that it is all over, please accept my congratulations,” he said.

The APC gubernatorial candidate, however, appealed to the governor to consider the issue of 14 constituencies which are without representation at the state House of Assembly since 2019.

He said though the matter was in court, the governor was in a vantage position to consider an out-of-court settlement of the issue, in the overall interest of our state.

“Having said that, I want to appeal to you to kindly consider the pertinent issues of the 14 constituencies, including the two in your local government – Oredo and the two in your deputy’s local government – Etsako West, that are presently without representation at the Edo State House of Assembly.

“Though the matter is in court, you are in a vantage position to consider an out-of-court settlement of the issue in the overall interest of our state.

“Your Excellency would also do well to intervene in the issue of elected Local government chairmen, vice-chairmen, councilors and supervisory councilors, who some time ago, were suspended and removed from office.

“Our appeal is that you consider paying them their entitlements since it is now late for them to return to their offices. This can also be through the out-of-court settlement.

“Your Excellency, for us in the APC, as the opposition party in the state, we have a duty to ensure that your government always does the right thing,” Ize-Iyamu’s letter stated.