Ize-Iyamu didn't make me Governor, He was hiding from EFCC during My Election, He didn't even vote – Gov Oshiomhole

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole has debuked claims by the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu that he made him (Oshiomhole) Governor.

Speaking at a rally on Thursday, Oshiomhole said Ize Iyamu was in hiding from the EFCC on April 14 and therefore, did not vote for him and could not have made him Governor.

“Ize-Iyamu said he made me Governor in 2007. Check the records, on April 14 during my election, Ize-Iyamu was in hiding. He did not vote. How can somebody who didn’t vote claim that he made me Governor? There is no village in Nigeria that I will go and spend five minutes, somebody will come out and say ‘na Comrade be dis’. We have worked for our country, we’ve made our name, and we are not tied to anybody’s apron strings. We simply worked and fought for our people.

 “When he begged me to make him the Director-General of my campaign, he said I should not make Pius Odubu my running mate, but I declined his request and with Odubu, we won the eighteen Local Government Areas.

“I didn’t appoint him into government because I didn’t want him to mislead me as he misled Lucky Igbinedion. That is how we are able to channel our resources in ways we have done, that today, Edo, whether you like it or not can’t be like before, it can only get better.

“On Saturday, September 10, we are going to celebrate one man, one vote, because our power is defined by the quality of our message the competence, credibility and pedigree of our messenger, Godwin Obaseki.

“Now the PDP is confused, they are not speaking on what they are going to do because they are not capable of doing anything. They think the Edo of today is like Edo of the past.

“Here in Oredo, in our books, they built a new hospital, but they took the money, they didn’t do it. In our books, they built all the roads; they call them all kinds of name, but nothing on the ground. What are they going to say, I don’t want to keep repeating, even Igbinedion, who was their leader, took all Benin land and started collecting royalty.

“But I have recovered the land for Edo people; I revoked their illegal land acquisition and returned it to the people. Ogbemudia came and did his very best and we can never forget him, he did everywhere but in modesty, didn’t do the road to his own house. He was a PDP leader and for 10 years, PDP did not do the road to his house. But in appreciation of what he did for our state, we did all the roads around his house, about sixteen of them and we put street lights.”