Edo Guber: Obaseki’s Ex-Deputy Shaibu Declares Support for Opposition Candidate, Gives Reason
- After a major battle with his principal, the former Edo state deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, announced his support for an APC candidate
- Shaibu, a former gubernatorial candidate and PDP chieftain, threw his weight behind Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC, citing local roots and suitability to govern Edo
- The former deputy governor and Obaseki fell out after he declared interest in the upcoming September 21, 2024, governorship election in the state
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
A former deputy governor of Edo state, Philip Shaibu, has declared support for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, in the upcoming September 21 governorship election.
Source: Facebook
Shaibu disclosed this on Sunday, June 16, during the 2024 Father’s Day celebration at Saint Paul’s Catholic Church in Benin City, the Edo state capital.
Recall that Shaibu was recently impeached by the Edo state House of Assembly. This move ended long months of tussle between him and his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, over the former’s move to contest the Edo governorship election.
Moving on, Philip Shaibu and Hon. Omoregbe Ogbeide-Ihama integrated their political structures to support the APC candidate.
Shaibu gives reason for supporting Okpebholo
According to Shaibu, the governorship race started with three homeboys- himself, a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okpebholo, and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP).
But since he had dropped out of the race, his preferred choice was his homeboy, Okpebholo, Channels TV reported.
As reported by Vanguard, Shaibu stressed that his support for the opposition was not anti-party, adding even Governor Obaseki in the last election, was partly PDP and LP.
“I will support a homeboy. I came into politics to contest as the governor of Edo State because I need the government to return to homeboys – people who understand our plight, people who understand what the people are feeling. Even the United Nations talks about the need for assessment. We don’t want outsiders, we have experimented with outsiders and it’s not working. So, this time around, we want homeboy,” he said.
Edo Guber: Obaseki's brother dumps PDP
In another report, Benjamin Obaseki, another prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state, decided to leave the party.
Benjamin, who is a relative of Governor Obaseki, was a member of Ward 10 and a former official of the Oredo local government chapter of the party.
In a letter dated June 12, 2024, addressed to the local government chairman of the party, Obaseki expressed his resignation with deep regret.
Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
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Source: Legit.ng
