How Ize-Iyamu’s Plagiarism Reduces Campaign To ‘Obaseki Vs Obaseki’ In Edo Gubernatorial Election
The Oasis Reporters
July 18, 2020
Questions are currently being asked on the streets of Benin, Auchi, Ekpoma and Iyamho, intellectual cities of Edo State, does Ize-Iyamu have any original ideas of his own to run his election campaign in his bid to occupy Dennis Osadebey House in Benin ?
How does he hope to run a state like Edo without ideas of his own ?
This is occurring in the light of new revelations that the APC gubernatorial candidate in the Edo 2020 election, Pastor Osaze Ize-Iyamu plagiarized the campaign manifesto that his campaign is resting on.
The Convener, Midwest Movement, Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki, said to be a sibling of Edo State governor and PDP candidate Mr. Godwin Obaseki has insisted that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the September 19 gubernatorial election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is running with a stolen campaign manifesto, the SIMPLE Agenda.
Obaseki, in a statement, said he first publicly unveiled the SIMPLE Agenda in August 2015 during a live programme on BENTV UK, where he presented his 6-pronged campaign manifesto as an aspirant for the 2016 governorship election in Edo State.
According to him, “It has come to my attention that people have been advertising their campaign manifesto to be the SIMPLE Agenda, which is a direct lifting of my ideas I shared publicly in 2015.
“My SIMPLE idea is an acronym for Security and Social Welfare; Infrastructure Development and Urban Renewal; Manpower Development and Training; Public-Private Partnership; Leadership by Example and Employment for Edo Youths. This is the same as what the Pastor and his followers are parading online today.
“So, I state categorically that I would be commencing processes for retrieving my Intellectual Property, as it is obvious that the idea did not originate from those who are pushing on with it today.
“Every well-meaning, educated person should know what it takes to come up with an idea and articulate such in a manner that would make sense to people. I did that and today some people have plagiarized it and are trying to swindle Edo people with it”.
In a tweet by @Official PDPNig, the party says Pastor Ize-Iyamu stole the SIMPLE agenda from Don Pedro Obaseki.
#Edo2020: Busted-Ize-Iyamu stole the “Simple” agenda from Don-Pedro in 2015. Take a listen to Don Pedro, explaining his “simple” agenda. Edo people, judge for yourself before you go to the poll on September 19, 2020. Plagiarism is stealing, ole. @OfficialPDPNig @GovernorObaseki pic.twitter.com/zjUH4MyiM4
— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) July 16, 2020
It is believed that Edo people may take a dim view of the theft of anything, least of all, an intellectual property. An earlier Oba (monarch) of the kingdom in pre colonial times was Africa’s first University graduate who sailed to Portugal centuries ago to study and obtain a degree. His kingdom had diplomatic relations with Portugal. Till date relics of Benin’s relationship with the European nation are found in the palace and the city.
Edo people cherish knowledge and frown on shortcuts. This conduct if finally proven is likely to dent the APC campaign significantly.
This is coming on the heels of a court ruling that the Obaseki camp is free to air 2016 campaign materials in the 2020 election in the media. Back then, Ize-Iyamu’s current chief sponsor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole made damaging comments about the character and capacity of the APC candidate, Osaze Ize-Iyamu. He called him a thief in some of the campaign tapes.
Against the backdrop of Oshiomole’s indicting testimonies and this current revelation including the threat by Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki to possibly sue Ize-Iyamu over the case of plagiarism, would the APC candidate quietly drop the manifesto that his campaign rests on ?
This, however remains to be seen.
