By Jethro Ibileke
More facts have emerged on reasons for the political face-off between Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu.
Recall that out of fear of being kick out of office, the embattled deputy governor on Thursday, August 3, obtained a restraining injunction at a Federal Hight Court in Abuja, for protection from being impeached.
Among reliefs he sought were interlocutory injunction stopping the respondents or their agents from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing or preventing the applicant (Shaibu) from carrying out the functions of his office as Deputy Governor of Edo State, including attending State Executive Council meetings and other functions pending the determination of the substantive suit.
But, a source in the government house sources who asked not to be named, described Shaibu’s fear of impeachment as unfounded and false.
According him, “Impeaching him [Shaibu] has never been contemplated, so it is a strategy by him to prevent it and keep his office while fighting to succeed Obaseki.”
The source further accused the embattled deputy governor of “surreptitious move immediately after the 2023 presidential election by forming a campaign group in all the wards across the state. He is driven by his inordinate ambition and nothing more.
“The Deputy Governor had boasted over two months ago of using Wike system in Edo, adding that, he is likewise in talks with APC at national level in order to defect.”
It was further gathered that Obaseki had told Shaibu that it’s not time for politics so that governance does not suffer, maintaining that at the appropriate time, attention will be given to politics.
“Not satisfied with the governor’s stance on his political ambition, he (Shaibu) has being doing all possible to drag Obaseki to the trenches, and the consequent abandonment of governance for full politics.
“The only thing His Excellency has done was to insist on him following established government protocol which he fragrantly breaches.
“Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who handed over to His Excellency is from Etsako West same as the Deputy Governor, and he wants Obaseki to hand over to him, what then happens to the other LGAs in the North and then the Central too who has never tasted power,” our source added.
