Edo 2024: Oshiomhole Has Poor Sense Of History – APC Support Group

A socio-political group, ‘APC EDO SOUTH VANGUARD’ has accused the immediate past governor of Edo State, Senator Adams Oshiomhole of having a poor sense of history.
The group was reacting to the alleged plan by the former governor to repeat the mistake he made in the Edo 2020 gubernatorial elections when he fielded Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which led to loss the party suffered in the election.
A statement issued by the Public Relations Director, Idemudia Osas, after the meeting at the Benin home of the groups President, Hon. Charles Osawaru, stated that the state leader of the party, Senator Oshiomhole, has settled for the candidacy of Hon Dennis Idahosa to fly the APC ticket.
Osas said Oshiomhole’s position was taken despite the concerns and sentiments of other party leaders in Edo South in particular and the state at large against the candidacy of Idahosa.
The statement said that should Idahosa eventually emerge, a repeat of the 2020 scenario would play out when Oshiomhole singlehandedly railroaded Ize-Iyamu as the party’s candidate in defiance of protestations from other major stakeholders of the party who felt that the candidacy of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the party’s torchbearer at that contest would be counter-productive.
He recalled that Oshiomhole had during the 2016 gubernatorial campaigns literally taken Ize-Iyamu, then of the PDP to the cleaners by alleging several infractions, acts of irresponsibility, dishonesty and other criminal conduct against Pastor Ize-Iyamu.
When in 2020 after Oshiomhole insisted on the candidacy of Ize-Iyamu for the APC, it became a huge burden on Oshiomhole and the APC on how to clean up Ize-Iyamu after those strong accusations against him by Oshiomhole became a herculean task.
The opposition PDP simply installed television sets blaring with loud speakers at the King’s Square in the Benin-City centre where Oshiomhole’s exact words in 2016 against Ize-Iyamu were repeatedly aired to the discomfort of Edo indigenes.
“Now, we are about witnessing a similar replay of the 2020 episode in 2024, when Oshiomhole, under whose administration Dennis Idahosa was indicted by an Administrative Panel of Inquiry instituted to investigate acts of misconduct, fraud and malfeasance against Dennis Idahosa. The indictment led to the unceremonious exit of Idahosa from the State Executive Council where he was a Commissioner for Investment and Diaspora Affairs.
Till date, it is disturbing to note that Dennis Idahosa hasn’t made any conscious attempt to approach the courts in order to clear his name of the hanging moral burden on him.
He was accused of series of fraud and corrupt practices to an extent that it is believed in many circles that he cannot travel to Canada.
“Two of his siblings are currently said to be cooling their heels in Canadian prisons for offences that involved Dennis Idahosa. It is this same person Oshiomhole has settled for to become governor in Edo state.”
The group noted with concern that from discussions with prominent Benin political class and actors, it is very certain that Dennis Idahosa, as APC candidate will not earn the needed support of the different political power blocks in Edo South Senatorial District due to his questionable background, reprehensible antecedents and dwindling public image.
“If the party has decided to zone its governorship ticket to Edo South Senatorial District, why not allow the various tendencies in the place pick an acceptable candidate that would unite all rather than forcing a bitter pill down the people’s throat?
“Backing Dennis Idahosa as APC candidate would backfire and would certainly not guarantee APC the needed victory at the elections. Oshiomhole should stop dictating to the Benins who is best to stand in for them at every political contestation”, the group concluded.
The candidacy of Dennis Idahosa as Oshiomhole’s preferred candidate is presently receiving flaks from various individuals, groups and organisations in Edo State. It is hoped that the party leaders would take a second look at fielding Dennis Idahosa as candidate for the September 11 polls if the party hope to put up a respectable showing at the polls.