Edo 2020: Oshiomhole bent on destroying APC – Obaseki’s deputy

Philip Shaibu, deputy governor of Edo state, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the crisis rocking the Edo chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking with journalists on Friday, Shaibu accused Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the party, of being bent on destroying the president’s anti-corruption legacy.

He said rather than join Buhari to fight corruption, Oshiomhole has been aligning with Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a man who has a pending corruption case, to contest the next governorship election in the state.

“My message to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the leader of the party in Nigeria, is for him to intervene in the crisis rocking Edo APC,” he said.

“I urge him to provide leadership at this critical time as Oshiomhole wants to destroy his anti-corruption legacy. Oshiomhole is not joining the President’s anti-corruption crusade but rather bringing a corrupt person that has a N700 million case pending in court to contest an election. Oshiomhole called this man a thief; it is the same man he is bringing to rob Edo people.”

Shaibu said Ize-Iyamu is not a registered member of the APC, and as such, he is “not qualified” to contest the governorship election.

“Ize-Iyamu is not a member of the Edo APC because he is not registered in his ward. The constitution is clear on who a member is. He agreed to the fact that he didn’t register at the ward and his ward chairman didn’t register him,” he said.

“The constitution says for one to be a member of the APC in the State, he or she must be registered member of the party in his or her ward.”

He added that Oshiomhole’s achievements as governor could not be compared to that of Obaseki “whose successes are resounding across the state”.