The governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has picked a running mate.
Hon Gani Audu, the lawmaker representing Etsako West Constituency 2 in the Edo State House of Assembly, was announced as running mate to Ize-Iyamu on Saturday in Benin, the Edo state capital.
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Audu who is a former Chairman of Etsako West Local Government Council in the state, was unveiled following a strategic process.
Reliable information gathered by Daily Report Nigeria suggests that Hon Audu was selected in a bid to neutralise the supposed impact of the incumbent Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, who hails from the constituency as well.
Philip Shuaib is the running mate for the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, Godwin Obaseki, who is also the incumbent governor of the state.
Coincidentally, Adams Oshiomole, the recently sacked National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress and former governor of Edo state, hails from Iyamho, also in Etsako West LGA of the state.
The 2020 governorship elections in Edo state, slated for September 19, will be a straight battle between Godwin Obaseki of the PDP and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the APC.
The duo were recently all members of the APC until the party disqualified the incumbent governor from partaking in the party primaries.
Obaseki defected to the PDP following his disqualification by a Prof. Jonathan Ayuba-led seven-member APC’s screening committee, alongside his deputy and other members of his cabinet.
Recall that Ize-Iyamu was governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2016 governorship elections in the state and lost to Obaseki who was the flag bearer for the APC.
The tides have changed as both candidates have swapped parties in the 2020 elections.
