Politics
APC Things: How Adams Oshiomhole Once Portrayed Ize-Iyamu As Untrustworthy And Now Wants Him To Be Governor
Adams Oshiomhole, while he was the governor of Edo State, in 2016, portrayed Osagie Ize-Iyamu, as someone who could not be trusted with public funds.
Mr Ize-Iyamu was the governorship candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state’s election that year, and Mr Oshiomhole was campaigning for his successor, Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Today, Mr Oshiomhole is the APC national chairman, and there is a reversal of roles as Edo prepares for the governorship election in September. Mr Oshiomhole wants to remove Mr Obaseki and bring in Mr Ize-Iyamu as the next governor.
A protracted political fight between Mr Oshiomhole and Mr Obaseki has crippled the Edo State House of Assembly (14 lawmakers elected on the APC platform are yet to be inaugurated since June 2019) and factionalised the APC in the state.
Mr Ize-Iyamu, before he defected to PDP, was not just a chieftain of the APC, he directed the campaign for the election of Mr Oshiomhole as Edo governor.
Mr Ize-Iyamu’s return to APC has been a major threat to Mr Obaseki’s second term ambition.
Seven APC governorship aspirants in the state were said to have stepped down for Mr Ize-Iyamu recently.
Why I didn’t appoint Ize-Iyamu into government – Oshiomhole
“It is true we found ourselves in the region of politics working together, but I never gave him government job,” Mr Oshiomhole said of Mr Ize-Iyamu in an undated video of a 2016 APC campaign rally in Benin, Edo State.
The video is an excerpt from Channels TV’s live coverage of the rally.
Continuing, Mr Oshiomhole said, “I kept him (Ize-Iyamu) busy, let him be holding midnight meeting which he is used to. Ask him, since he was the DG (of my campaign organisation), why did I not appoint him into government?”
“We kept him away, nothing near government circle, no access to public fund.”
Mr Oshiomhole, in the 10-minute video, said Mr Ize-Iyamu was a “GM of one wuru-wuru” company and accused him of ruining the administration of Lucky Igbinedion in Edo State.
Mr Oshiomhole said the likes of Mr Ize-Iyamu would never be allowed to return to the government of Edo State.
Obaseki has ‘brain’, ‘creativity’ to work for Edo people – Oshiomhole
In the video, Mr Oshiomhole praised Mr Obaseki as one who has used his “brain” and “creativity” to work for the good of the state and the people.
In the concluding part of the video, Mr Oshiomhole, who was standing on the podium with others, including Mr Obaseki, brought up a song in praise of Mr Obaseki.
“Obaseki, you are what God says you are.
“You are a winner and not a loser.
“You are what God says you are.”
Ize-Iyamu’s reaction
PREMIUM TIMES contacted the spokesperson of Mr Ize-Iyamu’s Campaign Organisation, John Mayaki, Saturday evening, and asked him for their response to Mr Oshiomhole’s remarks in the video.
“Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande were very critical of President Buhari before 2015. They both had a re-think as all humans do, and today, both are one of President Buhari greatest admirers,” Mr Mayaki said.
“Same with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who in 2011 held former President Goodluck Jonathan’s hand, campaigning with him everywhere. Have you forgotten what happened later in 2015? Just as former President Obasanjo wrote about his Vice, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar – the former latter supported the later during his presidential bid.
“What about Femi Adesina, who in 2005 heavily criticised Prof. Ibrahim Gambari for defending the killing of Ken Saro-Wiwa by the Gen Sani Abacha government? Are they not working together today?
“Even God at a time, change(d) his mind! Who are we not to change our minds in the face of superior and obvious facts? Comrade Oshiomhole has moved on; he’s now in the same political party with Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
“The detractors must accept the new reality and face the fact that their biggest problem today is not Oshiomhole nor Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Their problem is their inability to fulfill any of their campaign promises,” Mr Mayaki said, apparently insinuating that the video was being circulated by Mr Obaseki’s camp.
Mr Mayaki sent a video to PREMIUM TIMES, showing Mr Oshiomhole, while he was still governor, praising Mr Ize-Iyamu as a “friend, a brother, a colleague, and a political warrior.”
The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Ngozi Odu, issuing them a seven-day notice to respond to allegations of gross misconduct.
The Assembly cited eight specific allegations of gross misconduct as the basis for the move.
This is the third time Fubara and Odu would be facing impeachment proceedings from the Assembly since coming to office in 2023.
Attempts to impeach them in 2023 and 2025, amid political feuds between the Governor and his predecessor and erstwhile political god-father, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had been halted by presidential intervention.
Here are the allegations below:
1. Reckless and unconstitutional expenditure of public funds
2. Unconstitutional misappropriation of public funds
3. Hindering the Rivers Assembly from performing its constitutional duties
4. Illegal appointments of persons without screening by the House of Assembly as provided by the Constitution
5. Seizure of salaries and funds meant for Assembly members
6. Seizure of salaries of the clerk of the Rivers House of Assembly, Emeka Amadi
7. Refusal to implement provisions of the Constitution on financial autonomy of the legislature and the judiciary
8. Withholding of funds meant for the running of the Rivers House of Assembly Service Commission and hindering its activities
Lilian Adebayo, the wife of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, has said that the party will unseat the ruling All Progressive Party at the 2027 election if Nigerians are true to themselves.
Mrs Adebayo made this assertion known on Wednesday during an interview with journalists after an event in Abuja.
According to her, the opposition party has overcome its crisis after the expulsion of its former chairman, Shehu Gabam and others.
She said Nigerians should vote the APC out in the 2027 general election due to the hardship the party has plunged citizens into.
“There is always a crisis in the party; the SPD has been able to handle its own. The problems in the party have been resolved.
“He has a great chance of winning the election if Nigerians are honest with themselves. If Nigerians think that the ones they consistently vote for would move the country forward, they live in denial,” she concerning the husband.
Recall that SDP recently expelled Gabam and other party executives.
The party’s state chairmen on Wednesday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the police to investigate Gabam over alleged misappropriation.
In a significant political move, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
Mbah announced his decision during a televised broadcast in Enugu after weeks of speculation.
He said, “Today, after a long reflection, we have made the decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and join the All Progressives Congress.”
Mbah explained that his decision to join the PDP was informed by the need to reshape Enugu and reorganise the politics of the state.
“Today, I stand before you to announce a break from the past and to share a decision that will shape the road ahead. This concerns our values, how we organize ourselves politically and how we secure the future of our project and our people.
“Leadership sometimes demands painful decisions in the service of higher principles and goals. And there comes a time, when everyone must make a bold choice to determine their destiny.”
Ahead of the governor’s defection, all members of his cabinet had on joined the ruling party.
Governor Mbah’s Senior Media Aide, Dan Nwomeh, confirmed the mass defection in a video posted on his social media handles on Monday. In the video, several government officials were seen openly declaring their allegiance to the APC, chanting praises for President Bola Tinubu and affirming their commitment to the new party.
“Enugu State Cabinet Members join the APC with full chest along with Governor PN Mbah,” Nwomeh stated.
The officials, including commissioners and top aides, could be heard in the video declaring, “We are now in APC; tomorrow is here; it is APC all the way; it is Jagaban all the way; from top to bottom.”
The collective defection marks a significant political shift in Enugu State, which has been a PDP stronghold since 1999.
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