The national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole was absent at the rally of one of the APC factions in Edo to receive the 2016 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and his supporters into the state APC.
A faction of the APC that had the backing of Oshiomole, had earlier fixed the rally at the Garrick Memorial Secondary School but it was later taken to Ize-Iyamu’s house, following the ban on political rally in the state as well as the restraining order of the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar.
There were bonfires and sporadic gun shots at Abuja Junction of First Ugbor road, leading to the area while residents of the area scampered for safety and vehicles were forced to use alternative routes.
Those present at the rally were the former deputy governor of the state, Dr. Pius Odubu, state chairman of one of the party’s factions, David Imuse, and other members of the Edo Peoples Movement.
Receiving the decampees, Col. Imuse said nobody could claim the sole ownership of the party and that everybody is welcome into the party.
READ ALSO: Akpabio’s Withdrawal From Senatorial Rerun Is Concession To Defeat – PDP
According to him, all hands must be on deck for the progress and development of the party. Speaking to newsmen shortly after his reception, Ize-Iyamu said he was coming back to the APC to add value to it and not to wage war against anybody.
“For those who feel threatened or apprehensive, I want to reassure them that we are not coming to fight in APC, we are not coming to wage war, we are coming to add value and so, we will continue to stretch our hands of friendship to everyone”, he said.
“I have made up my mind with those who also believed in me to join the party that we founded in this state. So, today, we are surrounded by old friends and comrades in politics who have come to receive us,” he said.
Also speaking, the former deputy governor of the state, Dr. Pius Odubu said Pastor Ize-Iyamu wasn a foundation member of the party and that their hands were widely open to welcome him back to the party he helped to found.
