How Ize-Iyamu Sold His Election to Obaseki in 2020

…..Why He Cannot Be Trusted With a Senatorial Ticket

By Chris Osaro

Every genuine grassroots politician in Edo State knows that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has consistently operated more like a political contractor than a sincere servant-leader genuinely committed to the interests of the people.

For years, his political career has been driven more by personal financial gains than by any clear vision for public service.

That is why many political observers in Edo State describe him as a recurring electoral contestant with a long history of defeats.

What should the people expect from a politician who sabotaged not only his own election but even the legal processes that followed, simply to protect huge sums of money received for those purposes?

Pastor Ize-Iyamu has often treated political allies and financiers as mere cash dispensers.

One notable example frequently mentioned in political circles was his relationship with the late Captain Hosa Okunbo of blessed memory, who invested heavily in several of his political ambitions.

During the 2020 Edo State Governorship Election between Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and former Governor Godwin Obaseki, many sincere APC members and loyal supporters reportedly sold personal properties and sacrificed their resources to support the APC campaign, believing wholeheartedly in its success.

However, while these loyal party members were making sacrifices, Ize-Iyamu was secretly negotiating and receiving financial inducements from the opposition camp.

It is a fact that unmarked private seinna vehicles linked to Godwin Obaseki were used to deliver large sums of money to Ize-Iyamu’s residence under the cover of darkness during the heat of the election.

More disturbing were claims that when respected leaders and stakeholders within the APC later mobilized resources to pursue post-election legal battles, the process was undermined from within for selfish financial interests.

To many observers, every election contest involving Ize-Iyamu appears less like a mission to serve the people and more like a business venture designed to increase personal wealth.

This, many argue, explains why he repeatedly contests elections without demonstrating the political discipline, structure, or commitment required to secure victory.

The Edo South Senatorial ticket must not become another political investment opportunity for personal enrichment.

Rather, the party should entrust the ticket to a credible, dependable, and electable candidate with a proven record of consistency, and electoral success.

Edo people deserve leadership built on integrity, sacrifice, and genuine commitment to public service, not politics driven by personal profit.