The candidates of the Advanced Congress of Democrats, ACD, Andrew Igwemoh and Action Alliance, Paul Ofomile, yesterday stepped down for the PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
Ofomile and Igwemoh, who made the declaration during a PDP rally in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area, anchored their decision on the ground that Ize-Iyamu was better prepared for the office of the governor and offered the best hope for the state.
The ACD candidate, who is from Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s Iyamho community, pointed out that it would have been easy for him to align with the governor and the APC but the issue of who governs Edo State was not a “brotherly affair.”
He said Governor Oshiomhole only developed a section of Iyamho community, regretting that the governor has succeeded in building a university in Iyamho that is not affordable to the people of the community.
He said: “We have collapsed our structure and are now working for a team that can take Edo State to Eldorado. They (APC) promised to create 200,000 jobs when they have not even created 10, 000 jobs.”
In his remark, Pastor Ize-Iyamu regretted that Governor Oshiomhole abandoned Okpella despite the overwhelming support given to him, adding that the governor ruled as if Okpella was not part of Etsako and did not harness the huge mineral deposits in the area.
He said: “I want to assure you that we will not disappoint you. We will harness the huge mineral resources in Okpella. They have punished you for too long, and you must punish them for abandoning you.”
The withdrawal of the duo brings to four the number of candidates, who have so far withdrawn from the race for Ize-Iyamu. The candidates of KOWA Party, Thompson Osadolor, and the People for Democratic Change, PDC, Bishop Akharame, had earlier stepped down for Ize-Iyamu.
