Edo State’s reinstated Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has joined the All Progressive Congress (APC) alongside members of the PDP legacy coalition.
News About Nigeria reports that the defection occurred during the APC’s Edo State inauguration of the National Working Committee for the governorship election on Saturday.
The meeting was attended by prominent figures, including Abdullahi Ganduje, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Bassey Otu, Jarett Tenebe, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and Adams Oshiomole.
Shaibu’s decision follows his accusation against Godwin Obaseki, his principal, who he claimed denied him entry into the state on Friday.
This accusation came after Shaibu’s reinstatement as deputy governor by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The National Organising Secretary welcomed Shaibu into the APC.
“Yesterday, I got intel that the governor has told his men that they must not allow me into town. I am a free-born of Edo State, nobody can stop me from entering Edo State,” he said.
“The constitution does not allow anybody to bar me from entering Edo State, not even when I am a deputy governor. Even if I am an ordinary citizen, I should have a right. I should have freedom.”
Shaibu recalled when he declared his intention to run for the governorship ticket under the PDP in November 2023, alleging Obaseki said he would destroy him.
Describing himself as a devout Catholic, the deputy governor said it is only God that can destroy man.
He vowed to continue fighting all through the electioneering period until the September 21 governorship election in the state.
The deputy governor also accused the governor of orchestrating Thursday’s attack in Benin City, alleging that Obaseki was keeping true to his earlier promise to destroy him.
“I didn’t know he (Obaseki) would arm them (gunmen) that much. I remember the governor saying during this crisis when I declared to contest for the governor that if I continued, he would destroy me.
“With what happened yesterday, it was obvious that it was an orchestrated attempt to actualise that statement that he was going to destroy me,” he said.
He also mourned the police inspector who was killed when his convoy and that of the APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo, was attacked in Benin City by suspected gunmen.
