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The Edo State House of Assembly has served an impeachment notice on the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu.
The development came Wednesday amid a prolonged rift between Shaibu and his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Last August, Obaseki accused Shaibu of being so desperate to succeed him that he could do anything to remove him (Obaseki) from office.
Obaseki who spoke while addressing stakeholders in a video posted by AIT, said that Shaibu allegedly conspired with seven members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state House of Assembly to enthrone another Speaker in the House against his preferred choice.
He asked how Shaibu could be so desperate to succeed him ahead of the Edo governorship election in 2024, without even telling him that he was interested in succeeding him.
He said, “The constitution makes me the governor of Edo State and I know the powers of a governor. The constitution does not provide for a co-governor. Does it? It provides a deputy governor who carries out responsibilities the governor gives to him, it does not give him the power of the governor.
“Before now, he has been going around saying he is consulting because after the national assembly elections we met, we had a small meeting and I said ‘Look I know the next major election will be the governorship election, how to choose the person who will succeed me but it is too early. The things we do now, and how we finish well will determine how strong we are to sell the person who will take over. But more importantly, we must solidify our party (Peoples Democratic Party) because PDP must by the Grace of God produce the next governor.’”
Shaibu was elected in a parallel primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) conducted in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
Meanwhile, the preferred choice of Governor Obaseki, Asue Ighodalo was announced winner of another PDP primary election that took place at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in the capital city.
Meanwhile, the PDP during the week said its legal team was waiting for Shaibu in court over the party’s primary election dispute in the state.
This was stated by the PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi.
According to him, the party was not deterred by the deputy governor’s threat to seek redress in court to declare him the authentic PDP candidate ahead of the state’s governorship election in September.
Last week, Shaibu invaded the party’s national offices, demanding recognition as the party’s legitimate governorship candidate.
The deputy governor also expressed concern that he was under threat of impeachment for persisting in doing the right thing in the state’s chapter of the PDP.
In January, Shaibu said he was betrayed by Governor Obaseki despite contributing “both in naira and in dollars” to get the ticket given to him (Obaseki) by the PDP.
Shaibu, who disclosed this while featuring on Arise TV programme, regretted that Governor Obaseki refused to back his candidature in the upcoming 2024 governorship election.
He said he brought value to his principal’s government in terms of political structure and his finances, but instead of supporting him to take over from him, he was supporting an outsider.
Decrying that he has been betrayed, Shaibu said, “I feel betrayed by the governor. I feel very betrayed. When we go to church, there are certain biblical verses that are beginning to make meaning to me. There is this particular verse that has been going through my mind: ‘The heart of man is desperately wicked.’ When I see what the governor is doing, the verse now makes meaning to me.
“I added value in terms of my political structure, my finances. All the vehicles that were used to campaign in 2016 are mine. I lost about 20% of my political capital in Edo North to support Godwin Obaseki, and in supporting him even as deputy governor.
“I supported the second term bid of the governor with my finances. Including how we got the ticket of the PDP, I contributed financially, both in naira and in dollars. If I say betrayal, it’s an understatement. I feel very hurt and betrayed.”