Ize-Iyamu: I’m Still Gathering Evidence On Edo Governorship Election

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just-concluded Edo governorship election, says his lawyers are still gathering evidence on the September 19 election.

In an Independence Day message to Nigerians on Thursday, the former Secretay to Government of Edo State said he would soon speak about what transpired during the election in the best tradition of rule of law, fairness to all, and due process.

Ize-Iyamu noted that he and his party are at liberty to file a petition before the election tribunal if they want to as long as the peace of the state is not threatened.

He revealed that the PDP and their agents have instituted 13 lawsuits against him and his running mate before the governorship election and none has been discontinued after the poll.

He said, “We will brief you all in good time and that time is near. But then, the question is after September 19, what next? We owe you an explanation on the way forward. Indeed, not a few have been bombarding us with this question. Well, we have kept quiet so far, not because we are bad losers, as some unfairly presume. It’s rather because, no matter the situation, we are staunch soldiers of the rule of law and due process.

“Suffice it to say that with due sensitivity to the feelings of our people, we are busy collating our facts. Only after can we speak and speak authoritatively in the best tradition of rule of law, fairness to all and due process. We will brief you all in good time and that time is near.

ALSO READ: Nigeria@60: Female Lawyers, Delta CSOs Mourn, Kick Against Killings, Violence Against Women, Rape

“In the course of our methodical approach, not a few deem to have pre-empted our course of action and pleaded that we do not proceed to the courts to challenge the election result. While that cannot be dismissed as an entirely bad plea, what I can say is that whatever action we subsequently take will be rooted in due process and the rule of law. We will exercise every right available to us under the law, given the electoral facts at our disposal.”

Recall that the Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, defeated Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to win a second term in office.