The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is not a match for any of its aspirants for the election.

In a statement on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party alleged that Ize-Iyamu emerged as a candidate through the crudest governorship election primary in the history of the nation.

It added that the people of the state had written off the APC and turned the party into what it described as ‘a butt of street joke’.

The statement said, “Already, on the streets of Edo State, Ize-Iyamu has become the new lexicon for APC’s crude attempt to suppress and lord over the people of Edo state.

“From all indications, only failure awaits the APC in the September election. This is because, going by the figures announced from the direct primary, which the APC conducted to produce Ize-Iyamu, it is clear that the totality of the members of the APC in Edo is far below 40,000, in a state where the membership and support base of the PDP soar well above three million.”

A Shambolic Primary?

According to the PDP, the embattled APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, reportedly told the people of Edo that Ize-Iyamu is not fit to occupy the office of the governor.

It quoted Oshiomhole as allegedly saying the APC candidate was only good for political “night meetings” and not to occupy the highest office in the state.

“Edo people can also recall how Oshiomhole swore before God and man that people with the character traits of Ize-Iyamu should not be allowed anywhere near a public office like that of a governor,” the statement alleged.

It added, “It is, therefore, nauseating that having degraded Ize-Iyamu across Edo State and beyond, the APC, in their arrogance and disrespect for the leaders and the people Edo, want to foist such an individual on the state through a shambolic primary election.”

The PDP claimed that the crisis in the APC has destroyed the party, saying it was difficult to assert that Ize-Iyamu would be its eventual candidate.