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The Edo State All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu says all the negative things former national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole said about him in 2016 as a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were not from his heart.
In an Interview with The Punch, Ize-Iyamu, having dismissed the wide belief of Oshiomhole being his godfather, said the immediate past APC national chairman had previously made good remarks about him which should not also be forgotten.
He said the former Edo governor called him unprintable names just to prevent his governorship ambition and ensure incumbent Governor, Godwin Obaseki who was his preferred candidate at that time wins the elction.
“What do you mean by godfather? However, are we selecting what we should remember? What about the periods he paid glowing compliments to me? What about the period he praised me for all I did to support him to be in government,” said the APC governorship candidate.
“He made those statements during the period I was on the other side and was contesting to be the state governor and he (Oshiomhole) was determined to prevent that. What do you expect? Were you expecting him to praise me at that time when he did not want me to be governor?
“So, when you look at the context in which he said those things, you will understand that he was just playing politics and he needed to de-market me so that his candidate would have an advantage. And after the election, that was the end of it.
“So, I do not think that we should dwell too much on what he said before the election. If you are saying that, we can also take you back to what he said about me before then.
“People are saying look at the bad things he said during the campaign. Why did they not look at the good things he said before the campaign? The truth is that he was only trying to de-market me so that Edo people would not vote for me, not that it was from his heart. Of course, the man (Oshiomhole) can speak for himself; he is not dead.
“We are all pretending not to know that in politics, you can say all kinds of things just to de-market your opponent.”
Ize-Iyamu, who is believed to have the backing of Oshiomhole, will be going into the September governorship election contest with his rival and incumbent governor, Obaseki who emerged the PDP candidate.
