During the 2024 Father’s Day celebration at Saint Paul’s Catholic Church in Benin City, the Edo State capital, former Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, announced his backing for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, in the upcoming September 21 governorship election in Edo state.
Shaibu, reflecting on the governorship race that initially involved three contenders, including himself, Okpebholo, and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party, emphasized his preference for a candidate who understands the local circumstances.
Stressing the importance of having leaders who are familiar with the community’s needs, Shaibu expressed his support for a candidate from within, rather than an outsider, citing past experiences with non-local leaders.
His stance was clear: “I came in as a homeboy, and today, we have only two homeboys in the major political parties in Edo State. One is in Labour, and one is in APC. I choose to align with another homeboy in the APC.”
Shaibu also criticized the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, labeling him as an outsider and highlighting the rejection of godfatherism in Edo politics, asserting that a godson of Governor Obaseki should not be considered for the position of governor.
