The Real Reason Edo PDP Flag Bearer, Pastor Ize-Iyamu Fell Out With Oshiomhole

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was one of the founding pillars of PDP in Edo state. He in fact helped in no small measure to established the Lucky Igbinedion-led PDP government in the state. He is not your ordinary type of politician. He has an uncanny penchant for being loyal to his party leadership. During PDP era under Lucky Igbinedion,he never for once fell out with the party’s triumvirate of Chief Anenih,Alhaji Inu-Umoru and Dr.Samuel Ogbemuidia. Before I continue,I want to point out that,there is a big difference between Leadership and GODFATHERISM. POI is a moralist and a practicing church priest. He understands the Biblical injunction that we must obey and respect our leaders.
It is the same way he understand true leadership as distinct from the Ahitophelian immoral goading which is GODFATHERISM. Yes,Christianity forbids following a leader who subverts rules of the leader/follower game.
That godfather ( pretending leader) wants blind followership. It is this kind of leadership that was evolving in PDP that pissed off POI and he conscientiously decried it and when he could no longer bear it, he formed a political bloc and moved away. It was under that political machine ( Grace Group or PDP-2 ) that Oshiomhole’s governorship was hatched and successfully executed by displacing both the PDP and the main opposition party the ANPP in the state.
It was an awesome feat. But it was not too long before IZE Iyamu discovered his political blunder. The blunder of not looking well before you leap. The blunder of cutting your nose to spite your face.
The blunder of abandoning the devil you know for an unknown angel who turned out to be lucifer himself in glowing and flowering clothing.
He discovered he had traded a refined political party for a conglomerate of thugs and power mongers. He had substituted qualified and refined godfathers with a crude and megalomaniac mafioso. Politics is a game of give and take. Prior to the installation of Oshiomhole,Ize-Iyamu did exact a promise from him that,he will support him( Ize Iyamu) as his successor which the then genuflecting and docile Oshiomhole willing agreed to. As soon as Oshiomhole entered power, his first task is to settle the business between him and POI.
(1)He decided to reduce his influence in Edo AC ( their party). To him,there cannot be two captains on one ship
(2)He decided to establish his own political structure.
(3)He decided to review the promise he made to establish Pastor Iyamu as his successor.
There is nothing wrong in trying to do all these but it was the method employed by Oshiomhole that was abhorable.
(A) With regard to the second item, he gathered people like nomoless, Kabaka etc to form his political structure and that today have become the nemesis of those who voted him into power so much so that he had no qualms to publicly tell a poor widow to ” GO AND DIE”
(B) In respect of Item (1) above,he deliberately refused to give Ize Iyamu a position in his government. He only and hypocritically calls him ” my leader”. He also ensured that POI’s men are given the tilted shoulder in every facet of the new regime. This did not work out well as it not only led to factionalizing their party but he began to project himself as an ingrate to reasonable and discerning minds.
(C) He executed a shocker in item (2) Our source who is a relative of Oshiomhole ( but he insisted on anonymity) revealed that,Oshiomhole invited Ize Iyamu one Sunday morning to Iyamoh his village and in company of his ( Oshiomhole) mother asked Ize Iyamu to give them an irrevocable warranty that,he ( Ize-Iyamu) would be loyal to Oshiomhole and protect his interest when the former succeeds the latter. Ize Iyamu told him that his word is his bond. But,Oshiomhole laughed and said,” I no like politician language ooo” I am more comfortable with our own African tradition of ensuring promises are kept. When you take over from me,I want to retain 35% of the state contracts as mine,30% of your security vote to be paid into a designated bank account,N10m to be paid monthly to my mother,30% of members of your cabinet to be named by me. These are the terms he told Ize Iyamu. Ize Iyamu was dumbfounded and before he could utter anything,Oshiomhole released his main bomb.” I want you to follow me to Ojerami in Akoko-Edo Local government Area to the shrine of Iseh. You have to take an oath to comply with all these my demands and I will give a corresponding oath at the shrine to make you my successor.”
Bloooooood of Jeeeeeeeesssssussss! was all the Church pastor could mutter. He could not believe his ears and eyes. That was when he knew he blundered by making this man a governor. He told Oshiomhole politely that he will decline his conditions as it offends his conscience and his religion.
It was because of that refusal that Oshiomhole activated the ” shoot Ize Iyamu at sight” political mood in ACN. His consequent political rascality and administrative waywardness made Ize Iyamu to eventually leave the party for him and returned to the refining PDP. Till date,Oshiomhole’s attack dogs won’t let the humble politician alone. We have it on good authority that,they are devising their new besmearing campaign against him. They want to trump up charges of corruption against him at the EFCC. Yes,that is how ugly and dirty they want the man’s head.
This piece is not to praise Ize Iyamu or to discredit Oshiomhole but rather,it was to fulfill an obligation to let Edo people know the truth. If you doubt the esteem which Oshiomhole once held Ize Iyamu and how he revere find letter escalated below.