Philip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, revealed on Tuesday that he was deceived while backing his principal, Godwin Obaseki, for a second term in office.
He expressed his disappointment at realizing that he had been misled after putting his long-standing relationship with Obaseki’s predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole, at stake to combat apparent godfatherism and support Obaseki’s political ambition.
Shaibu, a former student union leader, lamented that despite his unwavering support for Obaseki against someone he considered a father figure (Oshiomhole), it was surprising to see the governor aligning himself with another gubernatorial aspirant.
Reports from NewsNow indicated that some Peoples Democratic Party leaders in Edo North, Shaibu’s senatorial district, endorsed a former Sterling Bank chairman, Asue Ighodalo, as their preferred PDP governorship candidate on Sunday.
The meeting was convened by a former deputy governor of the state, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, and was attended by several party heavyweights.
There are rumors that Obaseki is backing Ighodalo, who is in opposition to Shaibu’s gubernatorial aspirations.
However, in an interview on Arise TV’s Morning Show, the deputy governor stated that despite his extensive support for Obaseki, he later realized that he had been deceived.
He said, “Because I detest oppression, I risked my relationship. As a result, I lost about 20% of my political capital in Edo North to support Godwin Obaseki. As deputy governor with no financial backing, I utilized my resources and connections to support the governor’s second term bid, including contributing financially to secure the PDP ticket. I ultimately discovered that I had been deceived.
“When I say betrayal, it is an understatement. I feel deeply hurt and betrayed because I sacrificed my personal income and entitlement for the greater good of the system.”
Downplaying Obaseki’s favored candidate, Shaibu emphasized the need for a competent leader, stating, “Edo State cannot afford to experiment further, having already experimented with Governor Godwin Obaseki. Some of us have had to go the extra mile to compensate for the shortcomings. People say Shaibu is a popular deputy governor, but I only hold two portfolios and must bridge the gaps.”
He also dismissed claims that being from Edo North would naturally exclude him from securing the PDP’s ticket, asserting that if equity and justice prevail, the ruling party would allocate the ticket to his senatorial district.
“So, coming from the same area as Oshiomhole is not the real issue. What truly matters is what I bring to the table. When it comes to zoning and agenda, the key agenda is that Edo North has never been granted the opportunity to contest for the governorship election under the PDP.
“Hence, in line with the equity and fairness championed by the governor, it seems only fair for the PDP to grant the ticket to Philip Shaibu. I can confidently say that the people of Edo State do not want an outsider, and the governor is introducing an outsider which we will vehemently oppose.”