Join Me To Flush Out Those Working For Opposition Within PDP, Obaseki Urges Supporters
Former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, yesterday, said it took 10 months for his former principal and the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to succeed in getting him impeached from office.
Shaibu, who disclosed this to newsmen in an interview in Benin City, said his impeachment shows the character of the leaders Edo State has. Responding to a question on his ordeal in government as a deputy governor and a governorship aspirant before he was impeached, Shaibu said: “It took 10 months for the governor to succeed in impeaching his deputy; so that is worth celebrating for me. It also shows that not everybody who comes into politics from the private sector should be taken seriously.
“Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, a genuine private sector person, is doing well in his state. These are the kind of people needed in politics, not briefcase entrepreneurs masquerading as private-sector gurus. Governor Otti has not headed any institution that is struggling like some people’s political careers.”
He advocated for the amendment of the constitution to check the indiscriminate impeachment of deputy governors, noting that
until the constitution is amended, Nigerians would not have quality people accepting to become deputy governors in the country.
“The constitution should be amended to protect the deputy governors. I have also put down how I think the issue can be solved. I am sending it to the National Assembly. If we continue like this, you will not have quality people accepting to become deputy governors in the country. The office of the deputy governor should not be seen as an ordinary one, and that is why those who wrote the constitution made sure that the same qualification is needed to become a governor and a deputy governor. They know that if the deputy needs to act as the governor, he must be qualified and have the experience to function well.
“A governor should not see his deputy as nobody. The Vice President is the chairman of the economic team. So, deputy governors should get the same responsibility in their states. They should also get their security personnel directly from the Inspector General of Police and other heads of security outfits in the country and not from the Government House.
“The deputy governors should also have their security votes directly from the Federal Government and not at the mercy of the governor. The governor will remain the number one citizen of the state, but the deputy should be protected. Ondo State is a good example where Lucky Aiyedatiwa has stepped in after the demise of Rotimi Akeredolu and he is doing so well.”
Shaibu, who regretted his unwavering support for Obaseki’s re-election against the position of leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2020 when he defected with him to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said “some of us even had to go against Oshiomhole to work for Obaseki’s second term.”
He said he has apologised to Oshiomhole, having learnt his lesson, and would want to work and support a leadership that can galvanise everyone to work towards a certain goal and not a leadership that would bully people to accept a certain candidate.
“So, we want a leadership that can galvanise everyone to work towards a certain goal and not a leadership that will bully us to accept a certain candidate. Ten of us bought forms for the PDP primaries and nine of us are still united to say no to Ighodalo. In the APC, those who lost out in the primaries are united behind the party candidate, Monday Okpebholo, which shows that there is a leadership that can galvanise, pacify and unite everybody.
“In the PDP, we have emperors, as against leaders making decisions, and if this is not checked, the PDP will go into oblivion in the state,” Shaibu noted. This came as Obaseki yesterday predicted that the PDP would deliver 80 per cent votes for its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, in the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
Obaseki spoke during the inauguration of the Governorship Campaign Council at the party secretariat in Benin City, adding that the party has the best candidate that would continue with his developmental stride.
He said that the structure of the campaign council was from all the 192 political wards across the state, adding that every organ of the party was accommodated.
“Today, we are here to inaugurate the campaign council that will lead PDP to victory in the September 21 governorship election “The campaign is going to be based on what we have achieved and the lives we have touched. The campaign will also be based on the future not the past.
“We see the suffering the people are going through. So, the campaign will be based on the hope PDP will give our citizens. “Those fighting PDP have collected money from the other political parties and I want you all present here to join me to flush them out. Let them stay out since they have collected money.”
Earlier, the State Chairman of the PDP, Tony Aziegbemi, said the campaign council comprises 363 members, excluding the women and youth wings. In his acceptance speech, the Director-General of the campaign council, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, thanked the governor and PDP faithful for the opportunity given him to serve the party.
Iduoriyekemwen promised to lead the party to victory in the September 21 poll. On his part, the PDP governorship candidate, Ighodalo, thanked members of the party for the confidence reposed in him, adding that Governor Obaseki has laid a functional foundation in every sector, which he (Ighodalo) would build upon.
