Many political analysts predicted that Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, would fall apart. The prediction was largely informed by the notion that Shaibu would contest the 2024 governorship election in the state.
None of the analysts knew it would happen this early, which is one year and four months to the end of their tenure.
The crisis came to the fore this weekend following an affidavit Shaibu deposed at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court where he is seeking that the court protects him from being impeached.
Shaibu has been consulting within the state, country and in the diaspora about his ambition to succeed Obaseki in 2024.
It was gathered that the moves lack the blessings of his principal. He was said to have told his boss that he was only consulting and had yet to make up his mind.
The governor’s supporters claimed he has concluded plans to zone the governorship position to Edo Central Senatorial District, a development Shaubi appears not comfortable with. Former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who governed for eight years, hails from the same zone as Shuaibu.
Some are, however, of the view that if by any chance the position goes to Edo North, it should be Etsako West where Oshiomhole and Shaibu come from.
Obaseki’s deputy is widely seen as a loyal person who is influential in government, but his ambition seems to have pitched him against his boss.
Sources told Sunday Vanguard that apart from the belief that Shaibu didn’t deliver his constituency during the last general elections, the governor isn’t comfortable with his grip on Edo North politics.
However, multiple sources in Edo Government House told Sunday Vanguard that Shaibu approached the courts just to raise a false alarm.
They claimed his utterances lately have been antithetical to what Obaseki’s administration stands for.
One of the sources said Shauibu is in talks with the All Progressives Congress,APC, on the possibility of defection. It was said that he plans to ride on the strength of Edo PDP members who dumped the party for APC.
The source said: “At a rally organised at Garrick Memorial College shortly after the former National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorcha Ayu, was elected, Shaibu said publicly that he only escorted the governor to the party from day one. He never supported the governor’s defection to PDP because he feels he can’t fulfil his ambition in PDP.”
“Impeaching him has never been contemplated. What he has done is a strategy to prevent it and keep his office while fighting to succeed Obaseki.
“He started his surreptitious move immediately after the 2023 presidential election by forming a campaign group in all the wards across the state.
“Oshiomhole who handed over to Obaseki is from Etsako West. How does he think it would be proper for him to succeed Obaseki? What then happens to the other local government areas in the North and Edo Central?” he asked.
A high-ranking politician in PDP also said the governor had told Shaibu that it was too early to bring up the politics of 2024.
“The governor told him it is not time for politics so that governance does not suffer. He said at the appropriate time, attention will be given to politics, but Shaibu is not ready for that.”
Defence
A close political associate of Shaibu, who pleaded anonymity, told Sunday Vanguard that it is his right to aspire to any political office he desires, saying impeaching him wouldn’t be in the best interest of Obaseki.
He said: “Whatever the situation is, Comrade Shaibu has the right to contest. He said he is still consulting. He said the response he gets from his consultation would determine his next line of action.
“We expected that some of these things would happen along the line but I didn’t expect it so soon. The governor has more than a year and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has not released the timetable for the Edo election.
“I can confidently tell you that those allegations against Shaibu are false. To tell you how loyal he is to the governor, after the misgivings that greeted his appearance in Abuja during the inauguration of the National Assembly, he insisted that there should be a slowing down in consultations. It was members of the National Assembly from Edo State who insisted that he visit them where they were having their reception. He left immediately after he said hello to them.
“He was invited as a former member of the House of Representatives to the inauguration of the National Assembly.”
Plot
Meanwhile, some members of Edo State House of Assembly told Sunday Vanguard that there is no such plan to impeach the deputy governor.
Majority Leader of the House, Charity Aiguobarueghian, representing Ovia North East I, denied the alleged plot.
Shaibu had approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, seeking to stop a purported plan to impeach him and also stop security agencies and agents of the governor from harassing him.
Source: The Vanguard
