President Muhammadu Buhari gave his All Progressives Congress (APC) flag to his party’s gubernatorial candidate in the September 19, 2020 election, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, in a move seen as an endorsement of his candidature, amid speculations he would not do it because of a case of alleged fraud against the candidate instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Die-hard Ize-Iyamu backer and former party National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, was conspicuously and inexplicably absent at the ceremony, but the event is drawing bile from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which describes the endorsement by Buhari as an act that encourages corruption.
Added the party, in a statement: “The party condemns the presentation of flag to the APC candidate in the Presidential Villa saying this validates our position that the Buhari administration is fighting perceived opponents and not corruption.
“Mr. President ought to have been aware that Ize-Iyamu is standing trial over allegations of corruption, in addition to declaration by his party’s former national chairman that the APC candidate is a treasury looter, who should not be trusted with the position of the governor of Edo state.
“The presentation of flag to a person standing trial on allegation of corruption right in the Villa has shown to the world that APC is indeed the headquarters of corruption.”