The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Thursday, accepted the public apology made by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, News About Nigeria reports.
According to Obaseki, he is under obligation to accept the apology as a person of faith because to err is human and to forgive is divine.
The Governor who accepted Shaibu’s apology in a letter titled, “Re: Public Apology By The Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu,” said that, in good faith, he trusts that the public apology as expressed by his deputy is genuine and followed by contrite steps to improve his conflict resolution skills.
The letter reads in part: “I have noted the public apology made by the Deputy Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu. This apology followed an aberrant behaviour that contradicts what the people of Edo State stand for.
“To name a few, the Deputy Governor needlessly filed unfounded petitions in the Nigerian courts restraining me, the State House of Assembly and Security agencies from a non-existent impeachment process, followed by repeated breaches of protocol; unwarranted and unprovoked attacks in the media on my person and the State Government. The media frenzy as a result of the above and more provided an impression of crises that have been precarious and distasteful to Edo people in the State and across the world.
“Although these unwarranted provocations caused me severe personal discomfort, as a person of faith, I am under obligation to accept this apology because as they say, “to err is human, to forgive is divine.”
He, therefore, charged the people of the state to end the drama and conflict, so as to enable his administration to work together for the good of the state.
“It is my sincere hope and that of my other colleagues in government and all well-meaning Edo people, that these rhetorics will be put to an end forthwith to enable this administration finish strong and deliver the dividends of democracy to the greatest number of Edo people over this final twelve (12) months.”
