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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The raging crisis between Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and his Deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, took a new dimension yesterday, with Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Edo North throwing their support for Obaseki.
Addressing journalists at the Conference hall of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benin City, the PDP leaders led by the for Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Kabiru Adjoto, said “We are surprised and embarrassed by the behaviour of the current Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu in his ill advised mission to govern the state state by all means.
“It is unheard of in the history of Nigeria where a sitting Deputy Governor will initiate a court action against his Governor without any justification as in the instant case. And also go ahead to engage social media miscreants to disparage his Governor”.
Adjoto while describing Shaibu’s court action as not only speculative but baseless and highly embarrassing, said “We are coming out today to disassociate the Afemai people from this ill conceived action, and to also apologise to the Governor of the state for this unfortunate incident.
“Edo North people stand for equity, fairness and justice and we are grateful to other Senatorial Districts particularly, the majority tribe, Edo South for allowing us to produce the Governor from 2008 to 2016. We shall not abuse that privilege.
“The people of Edo North are solidly behind His Excellency, the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and urge him not to be distracted by the current rat race of succession, which to us is premature, individualistic and diversionary”.
The former Speaker stated that Obaseki gave Shaibu wide latitude to operate as Deputy Governor but he (Shaibu) has taken the Governor’s benevolence for stupidity.
“We are here to say enough of the political shenanigans. We will also see the governor, whoever he points out as his successor, we will follow”.
Adjoto disclosed that “the problem between Oshiomhole and Obaseki today is a creation of Shaibu, pointing out that the Deputy Governor’s claim that Oshiomhole asked him to impeach Obaseki so he will be Governor is lie from the pit of hell.
“He sowed the seed of discord between the governor and Oshiomhole. In the morning he would throw the stone and in the evening he is in the Church as an Usher.
“Shaibu is also the one that caused the problem between the Legacy PDP and the New PDP in the state. We are going to move from house to house to tell Edo people that Obaseki has not done anything wrong. Some us have worked closely with Obaseki, he is a very nice and peaceful person”, Adjoto added, promising that “In the coming days, we have a lot to say particularly the disaffection Shaibu has caused in the state”.
Also speaking, former Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Obaseki, who served in Shaibu’s office, Jimoh Ijegbai, said “We are here this afternoon because we are for peace and to say we are with Obaseki.
“For us in Owan, it is a complete distraction at this time when INEC has not release timetable for election. We have no hand in what Shaibu is doing, we are with Obaseki”, he stressed.
On the rumoured plan by Obaseki to impeach Shaibu, Ijegbai said no notice has come from the State House of Assembly to confirm that, adding “He is our son, we don’t want him to be impeached”.
Speaking in the same vein, Yusuf Busari, who spoke for the Etsako PDP leaders, said “Edo State is indivisible, we are moving forward with the governor. He should ignore the distraction from Shaibu, he should remain focused”.
