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“We come to bring our morality to politics, not to bring politics to our morality”
—John Lewis
By Cosmas Omegoh
These ought to be troubled times for the immediate past deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu. But that remains to be seen!
Could Shaibu, a former House of Representatives member (2015-2016) before he was announced as running mate to Governor Godwin Obaseki be both embattled and embittered following his expulsion last Wednesday by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State chapter?
Shaibu and two others: Dan Orbih, PDP national vice chairman, South-south zone and Omoregie-Ihama, one-time member of House of Representatives were axed for their “anti-party activities.”
The announcement was made by the Edo State PDP Publicity Secretary, Ogie Vasco.
It was gathered that the party relied on the allegation that Shaibu and Omoregie-Ihama, were openly expressing support for Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the forthcoming Edo State election.
Orbih, on his part, was accused of accepting a board appointment from the APC-led government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
It was the considered view of the Edo State Working Committee of the PDP that the trio had become moles in its fold. And the right way to go was to show them the exit door before they wrecked the party and its chances at the September poll.
However, observers are saying that Shaibu’s expulsion had more to do with the running battle he had sustained with his erstwhile principal, Governor Obaseki.
The months-long dog fight between Obaseki and Shuaibu climaxed with the latsacking of Shaibu by the Edo State House of Assembly on April 8, 2024.
Shaibu’s ouster finally put paid to his ambition of securing a chance to succeed his boss, Obaseki, whose tenure exipres very soon.
Obaseki for reasons best known to him, had vowed he would never hand over Edo State to Shiabu come what may.
Consequently, Obaseki deployed the full arsenal under his belt to ensure that Shaibu kissed the dust. And he did indeed!.
But Obaseki did not ride to victory without a big fight. That happend after he deploying the full compliments of the state’s war chest.
But not minding that the odds were up against him, Shiabu a former National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) president, dug into the trenches from where he kept firing salvos at full cylinders until he was finally routed, leaving his once lofty ambition up in smokes.
But even when Shaibu, an accountant, went down fighting, he did not count himself out. From the ashes of his defeat, he continued to supply hints that the battle was not over yet, confident that when the story of the epic battle would be told in full, the sound bite would be that of two equally-matched men who fought and ended it all fair and square. Otherwise, how else could anyone have interpreted Shaibu’s tenacity even when he stood no chance of victory? Or was he over buoyed by the age-long dictum, “no venture, no success?”
However, those who saw through things before they happeneded stated that the Shaibu rebellion was a lost battle. Yet, Shiabu persisted, signaling that he had something different up his sleeves.
Some persons are more inclined to believe the PDP story that Shaibu crossed over to the opposing party with promising intel and amour intended to sway the dynamics of the elections as part of his game plan.
Trend watchers reasoned that if indeed, the Shaibu’s anti-party allegation is true, it stands to be his own sleight of hand to force the PDP to reckon with him in the party’s matrix.
But Obaseki who is following trends closely would have none of the allged Shaibu’s shenanigans.
The governor and his henchmen had concluded that the best way to unbundle Shaibu was to finally unsettle him with a sack. Doing so would hand them the bragging right and a well deserved breather. Call that “good riddance to bad rubbish.”
Following last Wednesday’s expulsion, therefore, Shaibu took another direct hit from the PDP gunners.
Already, Shaibu’s once illustrious political curve had been looking down. But now, it has further gone down more notches on the graph paper, as his travails inch to full cycle with al the momentum round the man unsavoury.
Right now, those keenly watching the Edo debacle cannot wait to see in which direction Shaibu will turn next.
For now, it is as certain as day will follow night that the former Edo State number two man cannot be APC or PDP’s standard bearer in the forthcoming governorship election.
However, he still stands a chance to switch to one of the smaller parties less likely to make an impact at the polls if he still wants his name to be registered on the ballot.
Meanwhile, an analyst has returned a verdict that since it is looking difficult for Shaibu to be out of the political circle for now, a full return to his former APC remains his brightest chance.
But there is no forgetting that he has his former godfather, Adams Oshiomhole, and former governor of Edo State waiting for him with his sledge hammer.
Once upon a time, both men were hands in gloves, ringing things in Edo State. Then boom; things fell apart. Shaibu left Oshiomhole and joined the Obaseki train to the PDP, thus resigning his membership of the APC on June 16, 2020, leaving Oshiomhole midstream.
Some insist the Shaibu’s action at that time was a child of necessity, but are quick to remind him that Oshiomhole may not have forgotten and forgiven him. Should Shaibu then drift to the APC believing that all will be well, he should be ready for Oshiomhole’s hammer.
While Shaibu throttles around, he stands to be seen as a nomad, following his penchant for switching allegiance, and more so when his push-factors are almost always unsavoury. And now, he is left with trust deficit.
But those worried about his political future might be in for a shocker to see him given red-carpet reception anywhere he feels to fare, bearing in mind that in politics, “there is no permanent friend and no permanent foe, but only permanent interest.”
And there is no forgetting that he will further be assisted by Nigeria’s long entrenched belief that politics abhors moral lines.
