Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said he will waive his immunity if Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) governorship candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu, wishes to contest in court that he did not attack a fellow student at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) in 1984.
The governor spoke yesterday at Uromi in Esan Northeast Local Government Area during the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally.
Oshiomhole also took a swipe at a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, accusing him of neglecting his people refusing to attract development to the area when he was Minister of Works.
The governor said Ize-Iyamu could not attend the Nigerian Law School and was not called to the Bar because of the UNIBEN incident.
He said: “I bear full responsibility in my personal capacity and I waive my immunity. I set my immunity aside and declare as a follow before God that the other guy, Mr Ize-Iyamu, has a very interesting lifestyle. He went to the University of Benin to read Law. Two years later, he was rusticated. For two years, they drove him from school because of an attack on another student. Today, that student has been deformed for life: his manhood has been destroyed. Today, he can’t raise a family. That is his credential and that is why he could not go to the Law School. That is why, although he read Law, he is not a Barrister.
“It’s because of the crisis of identity he picked up a Bible and said he is a pastor, that is he born-again. The sins he committed he has to continue to pray for that. Remember Pastor King? He is sentenced to death now. To carry a Bible does not give a clue as to whom you are, only God knows who is a true Christian. By their actions, we know who is a Christian, who is a Muslim, who is a pagan, who is a cultist, who is an honest man and who is a gentleman.
“Now he says he cannot be blamed for the failure of Igbinedion’s government, read today’s papers. There are two issues here, first he agreed that Igbinedion failed, the only thing he is saying is that he is not to be blamed. Alright, if we will not blame him for the failure of the government in which he was Chief of Staff and Secretary to Government would that be the reason to promote him to the Office of Governor? Tell me your friends, and I will show you whom you are, show me the government in which you served and I will tell you what you will do.”
On how Chief Anenih marginalised the people of Uromi and other people in other parts of Esan land, Oshiomhole said: “today, the crisis we face in driving from here to Benin is that emergency job they were trying to do when election was coming, they would do half a kilometre, they would jump three kilometres, do another half kilometre in a zig-zag manner that is how they destroyed the federal road. Today, to go to Benin is a nightmare. This present Federal Government must rebuild the road that PDP destroyed, we will have to because we didn’t promise to lament, we brought a message of hope.
“In my capacity as the Adolor of Esanland, I’m proud to say that I’ve done more road works, from Irrua to Usugbenu, from Usugbenu to Ugbegun, Ugbegun to Ujogba, Ujogba to Ebudin, Igueben to Udo, Igueben to Ewohinmi, Ewohinmi to Ohordua, Ohordua to Emu.
“So when they say Comrade wants to exterminate Esan people, you ask them: when Alli was Governor, an Esan man, who removed him?