Professor Itse Sagay (SAN), Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), has denied being the chairman of the committee set up by the University of Benin (UNIBEN) to investigate the matter involving Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 19 governorship election in Edo state.
It will be recalled that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, former National Chairman of APC in a viral video had alleged that Ize-Iyamu, who was a student in UNIBEN and a cultist, had poured acid on a student’s private part.
He further said the University raised a panel to investigate the incident and it was chaired by Sagay.
“Pastor Ize-Iyamu poured acid on a student’s private in Uniben, Prof Sagay chaired the committee set up by the University to investigate the matter and the committee found him guilty and expelled him, that’s why Ize-Iyamu doesn’t have certificate,” Oshiomhole had said.
However, speaking with INDEPENDENT, Sagay who said he couldn’t recollect the incident, added that Oshiomhole may have mistaken him for someone else as he can’t remember chairing any committee of that nature till he left as Dean of the Law Faculty in October 1986.
While saying he can’t deny whether the incident happened or not, Sagay however, admitted that Ize-Iyamu was one of his students but was still in school when he left as the Dean of the faculty.
In his words “The truth of the matter is I have no knowledge of what Oshiomhole is talking about. I won’t go as far as saying that Oshiomhole was telling a lie but I’m telling you I cannot remember that occasion he talked about. I hope he is not confusing me with another Dean. I stopped being Dean of the Faculty of Law in October 1986. So, it could have been somebody else.
“Ize-Iyamu was in the University of Benin when I was there; he was one of my students but I left before he finally graduated. So, I don’t remember the incident. I’m not denying it but I don’t remember.
“Normally in such an important meeting where a student is being tried for something of that major nature, I should be able to remember. But I don’t remember at all. I cannot endorse it whilst I don’t deny it because I know I have a poor memory.
On the governorship election, he also admonished the candidates and political parties to eschew violence and maintained a civilised approach to issues.
“They should ensure that they campaigned peacefully. It is not a do –or-die affair. At the end of the day, people should still survive at the end of the election, the bitterness has been too much. People have shown that they are ready to go to any extreme without any limitation to do any injury to the other side.
“So, they should maintain peace and civilised approach to politics. They should campaign peacefully and allow the people of Edo decide who they want as their governor,” he said.
