God asked me to pursue, recover my stolen mandate - Ize-Iyamu

08-10-2016 

The governorship can­didate of the People’s Democratic Party PDP in the September 28 election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has revealed that God asked him to pursue and recover his sto­len mandate which was given to the All Progressives Con­gress, APC by the Independ­ent national Electoral Com­mission (INEC).

The aggrieved Ize-Iyamu made this known on Friday at a protest through Ikpoba slope junction off Akpkak­pava/Second East Circular/New Lagos road in the state capital through New Lagos Road, Mission Road and back to Akpakpava street, where it all began yesterday morning against the declara­tion of the Independent Na­tional Electoral commission which gave victory to Mr Godwin Obaseki of the APC.

Ize-Iyamu said after seek­ing the face of God, he is committed to seeking justice over the fake results of the state governorship elections at the State governorship Elections Petitions tribunal, the Court of Appeal and up to the Supreme Court, if nec­essary.

He said, “Let me assure you that the robbery of the Edo people’s mandate will not stand. In the past few days I have been seeking the face of God. I asked him what do I do: do I leave them to their fate? Do I Walk away? And God gave me a word. He said, ‘pursue and recover’.

“I have not come out since the fake results but many of you said, this man­date is beyond Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; ‘even if he sits at home we will not sit at home’. Because you voted and your vote must count. Despite the fake results you have refused to be violent. Properties have not been destroyed. No life is lost”.

Appreciating the protest­ers for being defiant despite threats of being attacked by members of other political parties, he said, “greater are those that are with us than those that are with them. An­ybody who attempts to attack us should know that we can­not be intimidated”.

Ize-Iyamu who argued that it was lamentable that those who were given victo­ry by INEC were ashamed of celebrating the victory said, “Edo is in a state of mourn­ing like a graveyard because the people’s mandate has been robbed. But let me as­sure you that that at the end of the day we will win, be­cause God has said so. We will win because Edo people voted for us and we won the election”.

Also speaking the state party chairman, Chief Dan Orbih said, “we are going to put everything in place to defend democracy. We are going to defend our right to freely elect our governor. We have a right as a people to decide to elect our gover­nor. That we have done and together we are going to re­trieve our mandate”.

Appealing to protesters which included Civil Soci­ety movements, students, market women, pensioners, Local government employ­ees, traders, artisans, to keep the peace while embarking on the street protests, Or­bih said the will of the peo­ple must prevail.

The protest tagged, “Mother of all Protests”, was coordinated by the Centre for Patriotic Leadership In­itiative (CPLI), a leadership and rights advocacy NGO, led by Saint Moses Eromon­sele and a coalition of civil society groups led by Messrs Kola Edopkayi and Olu Mar­tins.