The All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the non-appearance of the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on a well-publicised and eagerly-anticipated programme on ARISE TV tagged The Conversation, saying the governor’s cowardice is legendary and unbecoming of someone who hopes to lead the people of the state.
Obaseki is the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in this weekend’s Edo State governorship election while Osagie Ize-Iyamu is the candidate of the APC. Both candidates were expected to make an appearance on the The Conversation to discuss issues around their stewardship and manifestoes.
But while Ize-Iyamu honoured the invitation and made an appearance, Governor Obaseki was absent.
Chairman of the Edo State APC Media Campaign Council, Mr John Mayaki, described Obaseki’s absence as shameful. “This is the third time that Obaseki will flee from a debate. What is he running away from? From accountability and transparency? This tells you that the Channels TV Interview was arranged. It was a trap and a plot, which we still overcame anyway.
“It also tells you that it was an elaborate setup by the governor Obaseki-led government to hoodwink the nation and the people of Edo State, but those in the state know what is going on.
“They had already paid for adverts on Arise TV just the same way they paid for adverts on Channels Television, but it meant nothing to the governor to run away from the debate after wasting Edo people’s money on advertisements.”
Mayaki said the evasive attitude of Obaseki, will ensure the Edo people don’t have confidence in him as he has consistently failed to redeem promises made to workers, traders and farmers in the state.
“Now, Governor Obaseki has taken his unreliability to the media three times and the one time he appeared in the media, he knows how much he spent to present a good image through fraudulent opinion polls and contrived narratives. No one trusts him.”