Oyegun’s refusal to endorse Ize-Iyamu, advantage for Obaseki – Nehikhare

Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State, Chris Nehikhare, has said the refusal of a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, to endorse the party’s candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu, is an advantage for Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Obaseki is the standard-bearer of the PDP for the Edo State Governorship Election scheduled to hold on Saturday.

He told our correspondent in an interview in Benin, on Tuesday, that the action of the elder statesman spoke volumes.

Nehikhare said “A man of Odigie-Oyegun’s status not endorsing his party’s candidate tells you a lot about the candidate APC has. Edo people are happy with Governor Obaseki his achievements, his style and his sense of purpose.”

Earlier while speaking to reporters, the PDP spokesman said, “The efforts so far put in place by the Buhari-led government to ensure the security and safety of Edo people, before, during and after the election, deserve commendation.

“With the massive deployment of men of the Nigeria Police Force, the Military, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and other security agencies to Edo State to supervise Saturday’s election, we are confident that the election will be crisis-free.”

With just few days to Edo governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared anyone without Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) will not be allowed to vote.

This is contrary to reports that the electoral umpire might have resolved to use the incidence forms for voters, whose PVC malfunctions during the Saturday, September 19, governorship election. The commission has said there were no such intentions and that those without their PVCs stood no chance of voting at all.

Also, the commission has debunked allegation that the reappointment of some of INEC’s national commissioners whose tenures are expected to elapse in November has been tied to the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Edo election.