Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2016 governorship election in Edo state, has clinched the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2020 election.
Ize-Iyamu had defected to the APC in the heat of the misunderstanding between Godwin Obaseki, governor of the state, and Adams Oshiomhole, suspended national chairman of the party.
Announcing the result of the primary election in Benin on Monday, Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo and chairman of the election panel, said Ize-Iyamu polled 27,388 votes ahead of Pius Odubu, his closest rival who secured 3,776 votes.
“Iyamu having scored highest in the primary election is hereby returned candidate of the APC in the coming governorship election,” he said.
“This election is one of the most clinically exercised in the history of elections in Nigeria. This state which originally belongs to the APC will return to the APC after the governorship election.”
Six aspirants had indicated interest in the APC primary but three, including Obaseki, were screened out of the race.
The governor has since defected to the PDP, where he has been granted the waiver to contest the primary scheduled for Thursday.
If he emerges the PDP candidate, Obaseki will swap places with his old opponent.