BREAKING: Another APC Aspirant Withdraws From Edo Governorship Race, Sends Message to Ganduje

• Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a frontline aspirant of the party, has stepped down from the Edo 2024 race
• He made this known barely 24 hours before the primary election of the APC primaries on Friday, February 16
• This came hours after the ex-House of Representatives member, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, dropped his governorship ambition following the tragic death of his son in the US

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Edo state, Benin City - Less than 24 hours to the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to elect its flag bearer for the September 21 governorship election in Edo state, a frontline aspirant of the party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has withdrawn from the race.

As reported by The Nation, he announced his withdrawal on Friday, February 16, in a statement made available to journalists in Benin, the state capital.

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The withdrawal notice was addressed to the national chairman of the party, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and the acting state chairman of the party, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, The Punch reported.

Edo guber: Why Ize-Iyamu quit APC primary quit

PM News reported that his withdrawal might not be unconnected with rumours making the rounds that the party leadership both in the state and national level and Senator Adams Oshiomhole favoured giving the ticket to the member representing Ovia Federal Constituency, Dennis Idahosa.

This came a few hours after a former House of Representatives member Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, who is an aspirant on the platform of the APC, quit the Edo state governorship race, following the death of his son.

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Meanwhile, Agbonayinma on Thursday, February 15, urged his supporters and members of the party in Ikpoba-Okha local government to stay united and back whoever emerges as the party’s candidate in Saturday’s primary election.

Obaseki under fire for shunning handshake with Shaibu

In another development, Legit.ng reported that some Nigerians lambasted Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state on social media over a video of him shunning a handshake from his deputy, Philip Shaibu.

Obaseki and Shaibu have been at loggerheads over the choice of his successor ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in Edo.

Obaseki reportedly has an anointed candidate, a claim he has denied on several occasions. In spite of this, he has consistently neglected to support his deputy in the bid to succeed him.

The beef between the governor and his deputy became obvious when Obaseki declined to have a handshake with Shaibu at the second-term inauguration of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa state.

Source: Legit.ng