Obaseki planned attack to assassinate me – Shaibu

Philip Shaibu and Godwin Obaseki.

Published By: Kazeem Ugbodaga

*Allegation nonsense – Obaseki aide

By Jethro Ibileke

Reinstated Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu has alleged that the attack on his convoy at the Benin Airport gate on Thursday was an assassination attempt orchestrated by Governor Godwin Obaseki.

He disclosed that he has instituted a N5 billion defamation suit against the state government, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Project, Crusoe Osagie.

Shaibu made the allegation Friday evening while reacting to the state government’s claim that he master-minded the attack in which Inspector Akor Onu’s lost his life.

Shaibu, who said the attack came to him as a surprise, disclosed that for over a year, he had avoided calling for a protest to avoid confrontation with the state government and its agents.

Commenting on the court judgement that reinstated him, Shaibu said that he was not surprised that Nehikhare and Osagie were insisting that he remained impeached, accusing them of not studying the court judgement before sending out their responses, which he said, was their mode of operation.

He noted that the judgement was declarative and had to be executed first before an appeal over the matter could be heard, adding that the stay of judgement execution filed by the state could not see the light of the day until the judgement is executed.

According to him, “I can tell you that Thursday’s attack was planned by the state governor to assassinate me. The governor vowed to destroy me when I remained resolute to vie for the position of the governor.

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“They said I was the one who planned the attack but I came in peacefully from Abuja to the state capital. Why were the armed thugs laying ambush for me? Were they expecting a visitor?

“I have already instituted a N5 billion suit against the governor, Nehikhare and Osagie for defamation. They will be served next week.

“I have resumed, recalled all my staffs and I will be working from home in order to prevent any confrontation. I remain the deputy governor. All salary and entitlement will be paid,” he added.

Reacting to the allegations, the State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said Governor Godwin Obaseki did not plan attack on anyone.

Nehikhare, who described the allegation as nonsense, added that the thugs who fired the shot that killed the police inspector were supporters and thugs mobilised by Shaibu to the Airport to welcome him.

He said, “The accusation is nonsense. How can Shaibu say that the Governor planned the attack against him. It is his thugs who he mobilized that were shooting sporadically that killed the policeman.

“Having realized the enormity of what has happened, he is now running around to clear his name. But we all know that his thugs were the ones who carried out the attack.

“He was the one who ignored the plea by the CP to remain calm due to the appeal and stay of judgement execution which the government got.

“We have videos of his thugs causing mayhem in the city on Thursday and he should be made to answer for his deeds.”