It's a lie, I never begged Obaseki to return to APC - Ize-Iyamu

Pastor Ize-Iyamu, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has refuted claims that he begged Governor Godwin Obaseki to return to the ruling party.

Ize-Iyamu, through the Director of communication and media of his campaign organisation, Prince John Mayaki, stated that the report published by media houses is false, The Nation reports.

In the report, Ize-Iyamu made the call to the governor in a video conference on Wednesday, September 23, 2020, a claim which Mayaki described as false, arguing that the APC candidate at the time was in Abuja with some party bigwigs.

The spokesman refuted the news and rather noted that the said video was actually made not less than three months ago.

"The video in reference is from three months ago, not after the election but doctored by Obaseki’s media handlers to seek undue legitimacy.

“We wonder if the media were being sponsored by Obaseki and the PDP, as it seems implausible that they actually believed the story.

“This is even more so, when reporters in Benin City would report Pastor Ize-Iyamu, who is currently in Abuja, where the various media organisations are also domiciled, this is to tell you the suspicion inherent in the viral video. Mayaki also berated the media for reporting that the just concluded Edo governorship election was peaceful, free and fair."

He went on: "That is why they have reported that the election was free and fair, and that is why they have said our candidate pleaded with Obaseki to come back to APC.

“They (the media) pretended not to know how violent and anti-democratic the election was in many parts of Edo State, including Egor local government area in Benin City."