The Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comr. Philip Shaibu has allegedly concluded plans to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), putting an end to rumours that the State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, and his deputy were in a political spat.
According to a high-ranking APC member who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, Shaibu would be welcomed into the party by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) early next week.
Political observers predicted Shaibu’s decision to join the APC after he filed a motion in the Federal High Court seeking an injunction against an alleged impeachment plan against him.
Governor Obaseki, on the other hand, has stated that Shaibu’s move to seek a court injunction to block his alleged impeachment is preemptive in advance of his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the source, “It has been confirmed. We have on good authority that the Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon Philip Shaibu has concluded plans to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
He added, “He is to be received, along with a few of his supporters, into the party early next week by the National Working Committee of the party. Shaibu has been in talks with the state and national leadership of the party even before the feud between him and the governor went public and has been negotiating his way back into the party.
“The deputy governor has now perfected his defection to the party and we are glad and ready to receive him into our folds.”
While addressing leaders from Edo North Senatorial constituency, the deputy governor’s senatorial constituency, Obaseki stated that he was “not aware of any plot or any scheme to impeach the Deputy Governor Comrade Philip Shaibu. I have also checked and there was no such plan.
“So, the Court action taken, for me, is a thing of shock and disappointment. I believe that this action by him is a preemptive move to get a court order, keep his ticket and move to another party. I think it’s unfair for our party. We don’t need this sort of crisis.
“I am trying to reflect on the move made by somebody that I have given a broad latitude to do his work as deputy governor. So, for him to take this kind of action is shocking.”
