“I’m Prepared to Align with Oshiomhole’s Faction,” Says Ousted Edo Deputy Governor, Shaibu

OBASANJONEWS24 reported that Philip Shaibu, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, was recently impeached by the Edo State House of Assembly due to a fallout with Governor Godwin Obaseki.

In an interview with The Punch, Shaibu expressed his readiness to align himself with Senator Adams Oshiomhole’s political camp, despite being a loyalist of Oshiomhole in the past.

Shaibu acknowledged his past disagreements with Oshiomhole but emphasized his respect and admiration for him, stating that reuniting with him would be interesting and that he considers Oshiomhole his father and mentor.

Addressing rumors about switching from the PDP to the APC, Shaibu mentioned that his supporters are urging him to make the move, citing dissatisfaction with the PDP leadership and maltreatment, indicating a potential shift to the APC if his team decides to do so.

If the combined team of the Legacy Group and my original groups decides that relocating to the APC is necessary, we will do so without delay. The PDP faces a challenge due to the potential departure of influential members. Despite some individuals never leaving the PDP since its inception, they have expressed willingness to follow my lead. I suggested resolving the issues at hand, but they believed a solution was unattainable.

Efforts are being made to persuade defectors to return to the party and to dissuade local government chairmen from allowing members to defect. The local government leaders are now imploring party members not to leave, although it is too late for such appeals. They seem to believe they possess exclusive wisdom, forgetting that everyone has unique talents that can be combined for collective success.

Shaibu explained his decision not to reside in the Government House during his tenure as deputy governor, citing his anticipation of Obaseki’s eventual betrayal. He recounted his initial reluctance to accept Obaseki as the gubernatorial candidate, expressing concerns about the potential negative impact. Despite warnings about Obaseki’s destructive tendencies, Shaibu eventually acquiesced out of respect for Oshiomhole.

To begin with, I made it clear that I did not intend to support the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, in the upcoming governorship election. I explained that this decision was based on the fact that he had not been transparent with me about his ambition, despite my repeated inquiries.

Even when I asked him directly at my own house, he failed to disclose his intentions. This lack of openness surprised me, especially when he later claimed on television that he was being pushed to run. When I confronted him about this contradiction, he dismissed it as a social media rumor.

However, his younger brother, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, confirmed that the plan to make his elder brother the governor of Edo State had been in motion for two years. In my opinion, Edo State needs a leader who understands the local culture and can empathize with the challenges faced by its people.

We need someone who considers Edo their home, not someone who will simply rent a house during their tenure and leave afterwards. Unfortunately, the PDP candidate seems to have stronger ties to Ibadan than to Edo.

Following his impeachment, Shaibu expressed his forgiveness towards Obaseki. He emphasized his gratitude for being alive and attributed his good health to his practice of not harboring ill feelings or grudges. Shaibu mentioned his straightforward nature and how he does not allow negativity to affect him, citing the need to combat negative influences in the world.

Shaibu acknowledged the importance of forgiveness, referencing the Lord’s Prayer and stating that he has forgiven those who wronged him, including Obaseki. He also mentioned reconciling with Honourable Kabiru Adjoto, despite their past disagreements, and highlighted the significance of doing what is right for salvation.