Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called off his rally at Usen, following a crash.
An accident on Tuesday occurred near Oluku junction, as a trailer ran into the campaign entourage of top chieftains of the APC, killing two policemen. Two others were injured.
A statement signed by the Chairman of the APC Media Campaign Council, Mr. John Mayaki, said the party had suspended the scheduled event, to honour the dead.
On behalf of Ize-Iyamu and the APC, Mayaki condoled with the bereaved families, saying they were not alone in their grief.
He said the party would ameliorate their grief.
The campaign council said the policemen involved in the crash would never be forgotten for their sacrifice.
It urged everyone to pray for the repose of the soul of the dead, adding that they should also pray against the recurrence of such tragedies.
Mr. Victor Oshioke, the media aide to former national chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, last night narrated how his boss narrowly escaped death in the convoy accident, on his way to the party’s campaign venue.
Oshioke said Oshiomhole was on his way to Usen in Ovia Southwest Local Government in continuation of the campaigns of Pastor Ize-Iyamu.
He said in a statement: “Some minutes past 12pm today (yesterday), there was an accident involving the convoy of Comrade Oshiomhole along Benin-Lagos By-pass, before Oluku junction. The convoy was heading for Usen, where Comrade Oshiomhole was expected to appear at a campaign, alongside Pastor Ize-Iyamu, when a trailer driving in the same direction veered off its course, hit the back-up Toyota Hilux carrying seven policemen, forcing it off the road, into the bush and rammed into the Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) carrying Comrade Oshiomhole, causing substantial damage.
“We are sad to report that two police personnel in the Toyota Hilux lost their lives, while two others are in critical condition and are receiving treatment at a hospital in Edo State.
“Comrade Oshiomhole and other persons in the convoy, apart from those indicated above, did not sustain any injury.
“It is pertinent to state, without fear of contradiction that the convoy of Comrade Oshiomhole was maintaining legal speed limit when the accident occurred.
“While we pray for the quick recovery of the injured policemen, we extend our condolences to the families of the departed.
“Comrade Oshiomhole has visited the injured policemen in the hospital. He has deployed some of his aides to be on standby at the hospital to ensure that the injured policemen are given the best medical attention possible.”
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi and members of the party in Edo have commiserated with the APC and its governorship candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu, over the accident.
They described it as very unfortunate.
Aziegbemi and other members of PDP in a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, sympathised with the families of the victims.
They prayed that God would grant the members of the families of the deceased policemen the fortitude to bear the losses and grant the victims eternal rest.
