Edo guber: INEC rejects Accord Party candidate

•Otaru of Auchi supports Oshiomhole   •Women march for Ize-Iyamu

Following a court order barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting the name of Don Pedro Obaseki as the candidate of the Accord Party, the party may not have a candidate in the forthcoming Edo State governorship election.

Obaseki had won the primaries of the Accord Party held in Benin last month, but a factional chairman of the party in the state, Samson Isibor, secured a Federal High Court order asking it not to recognise Obaseki as the candidate of the party.

In a telephone interview, Obaseki said he was not aware of the suit until INEC was served the injunctions granted by the court.

Meanwhile, the Otaru of Auchi, His Royal Highness, Haliru Momoh, Ikelebe III, has expressed support for the political moves of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

Speaking while receiving the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Godwin Obaseki, along with his running mate, Mr Philip Shaibu, who were led to the palace by Governor Oshiomhole, on Wednesday, the Otaru of Auchi commended Oshiomhole for his performance as governor.

Speaking earlier, Governor Oshiomhole commended the Otaru of Auchi for his cooperation with the state government which made the urban renewal drive in Auchi a success and assured him that Mr Obaseki will excel.

In a related development, women in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State under the auspices of Akoko-Edo Women for Good Governance (AWGG), on Monday, marched through the streets of Igarra, the headquarters of the local government, to offer their support for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

The women, who were led by Mrs Philomena Balogun and Mrs Bola Agbaje, said Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, if elected governor, would not abandon Akoko-Edo Local Government Area like the APC government, which they said “only remembers Akoko-Edo Local Government Area during election period.”

Also, a candidate of the Citizens Popular Party (CPP) for Edo State governorship election, Mr David Okoror, speaking in Kaduna, faulted the leadership style of the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole.