By Osahon Osahon
An erstwhile governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has likened his recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to a football who chooses to play for any club of his choice.
He stated that politics like football he has right to join any club (party) he wants even though he had played against the team he is now joining as football.
Ize-Iyamu spoke on Thursday during an interactive session with journalists in Benin on why he left PDP for APC and ‘officially informed them of his political movement’ in the state.
According to him, APC is not a new club for him, saying he was one of the founding members of the party and “it’s like homecoming for him.”
The APC chieftain said, “I am a football fan. I am a fan of Chelsea. But, these footballers that we die for, might tomorrow choose to go and play for Manchester United, or Arsenal. It might be very painful to us, but they have their reasons.
“It could be that the coach is playing them from the wrong position, they don’t like the new method of the coach. It could also be that they are tired of just being among clubs not relegated, they want to be among the first four. There are many reasons.
“The Constitution gives us the right of association. I have my reasons of moving to the APC. Many of you also know that moving to the party is like a home coming for me, because I’m one of the players who formed that party in this state and in the country, so, it’s not as if I’m going to a new place.
“The place I left, there are some people there who are not happy, and will want to throw things, but I’m not going to throw back. Where I’m also coming to, there are prohibited are also apprehensive, and because of that too, either directly or indirectly, they are also throwing things. I also will not return things.
“You can see that I’m in a very precarious position. People are throwing things at me and I don’t want to retaliate.
“I believe very much in this state, I was born here, I schooled here and by the grace of God, I’ll be buried here. I am very passionate about this state. That is why I’ve chosen to be part of people that will solve the proof this state and make it more attractive and better for all of us,” Ize-Iyamu said.
Speaking on the reasons why he decided to join in spite of the crisis rocking the Edo chapter of the party, Pastor Ize-Iyamu said that he joined APC to help resolve its crisis and not to escalate it.
While debunking rumour of faction in the state chapter of the party, he explained that the crisis was not as serious as being exaggerated in the media.
According to him, “Sometimes, God uses you in time of crisis to bring peace. So, I just decided that crisis should not deter me. The important thing is that I’m not going to APC to escalate any problem.
“I’m going there by the grace of God to add value, I will go and settle the party, I will go and ensure that the party is well-connected to those at the grassroots, I will encourage governments to do their best, and that itself is one of the primary purposes of being in politics.
“I don’t really think that the faction is as deep as some of you think. Who are the two secretaries, who are the two publicity secretaries, who are the parallel chairmen in the different local government areas, and who is the national chairman in the other faction?
“So, you find out they it’s not as deep. You might find disagreements in some very few areas, but I’m telling you that if you really want to see factions, you will see parallel chairmen from ward level to the national.”
