The Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday said he did not re-appoint the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, as a government official during his re-election in 2012 because he did not trust him.
Oshiomhole, said this while addressing traders’ associations in Benin, the state capital.
He noted that Ize-Iyamu was part of the previous administrations, under the PDP, which he said allegedly “looted the Edo State treasury.”
The PDP candidate for the forthcoming governorship poll served as Oshiomhole campaign team’s Director-General in the 2012 election.
But the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chris Nehikhare, dismissed the governor’s allegation as a “fat lie,” adding that the party’s candidate rejected all appointments offered by Oshiomhole.
Nehikhare said, “Ize-Iyamu rejected all the appointments offered by the governor both in 2008 and 2012. He, instead, recommended many people to the governor, which the governor gladly appointed.
Oshiomhole, who was flanked by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Godwin Obaseki and other people said, “I did not appoint Ize-Iyamu because of his past record. I would not be comfortable to put government money in his hand. That is why I kept him completely out of government.
“I did not even give him a board appointment. He was part of the government that looted the Edo State treasury. Do not put the key to your kitchen in the hands of someone you do not trust.
“Usually, a governor appoints the Director-General of his campaign after his election. But I did not appoint him into government because I have his records; I do not trust him.”
He also faulted criticisms over the siting of a new university in his hometown, arguing that state funds were better invested in human capital development than in private pockets.
He said, “I read Ize-Iyamu complaining that I have developed my village, Iyamho. Yes, because Iyamho is part of Edo State. But I did not put the money in my pocket.
“But what did they do in Okada (community)? They said they wanted to do a dual carriageway. They collected the money and put it in their pocket and they did not do the Okada road.”
Earlier, Obaseki had commended the traders for their support ahead of the election.
The APC candidate noted that the achievements recorded by the Oshiomhole administration were part of the first phase of development in the state.
He, therefore, urged the voters in the state to support the APC in order to commence the second phase.
Obaseki said, “All those things we have done in eight years, we want them to continue. Oshiomhole is the architect; he has laid the foundation and, in our continuity programme, we will lay the blocks and continue from there.”
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