Our reporter/ Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state has alleged that Philip Shaibu, his deputy, hatched a plan to remove him from office.
Obaseki made the allegation while addressing party stakeholders in a video posted by AIT on Friday.
According to the governor, Shaibu has become so desperate to succeed him, ahead of the Edo governorship election in 2024.
“He (Shaibu) went to Abuja and was boasting that he has connections in Abuja, that he has people in the national assembly, that they are all with the president now, that they will take care of him,” Obaseki said.
“That if he cannot get the ticket in PDP, he knows what to do.
“I kept quiet and said I thought we were together. But what struck me, and I have never said this to anybody, is that after I proclaimed the house of assembly, we were now going to elect officers.
“He was in Abuja, he came back that day. I am the chief security officer of this state. I get any information I need. But I have that responsibility to keep quiet and use the information properly.
“My deputy called the leader in APC, telling that leader that during the elections on the next day, particularly speaker of the house of assembly, that he has five members who are loyal to him and that he would like the seven members of APC to work with his five members of PDP to produce the next speaker.
“As far as I am concerned, that was not working in our common interest.
“Why would the deputy governor seek to have another speakership candidate outside of what the governor wants? Are we working together?
“That was when I knew we had a problem. That the deputy governor has become so desperate to take over that he would do anything, including carrying out a coup, against his governor.
“How can you say you are loyal and you will do such a thing?”
Obaseki and his deputy are engaged in a cat and mouse game over the off season governorship election election in the state.
Shaibu, last month approached a federal high court in Abuja with a suit to prevent an alleged impeachment plot against him.
The deputy governor asked the court to restrain the governor, the speaker of the state assembly, and the chief judge, from “initiating impeachment proceedings or sanctioning any impeachment” against him.
Shaibu accused the governor of preventing him from performing his constitutional duties.
But Obaseki in his response alleged that the court action taken by Shaibu was a preemptive move ahead of his defection to the APC.
APC not rehabilitation centre, respect your governor – Oshiomhole tells Shaibu
Meanwhile, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has told the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, that the APC has no Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camp to rehabilitate distressed politicians.
Oshiomhole, a former Governor of Edo State, made the assertion on Thursday while commenting on the allegation made by Godwin Obaseki, the current governor, that Shaibu’s court case against him was a prelude to his defection to the APC.
Oshiomhole urged the deputy governor to respect and be loyal to his boss, insisting that his wish is for Edo to be governed in peace and harmony.
“But let me say this, to say that somebody wants to run to the APC, I want to say that the APC is not a rehabilitation centre. I can tell you that for free.
“We in APC are satisfied the way we are; we are happy in opposition and we are not about to receive people who are coming because they have lost out. I want to say that there is no IDP camp in APC.
“So my advice is that those who are having challenges should learn how to respect their bosses. I have always advised people that whoever you work with, be loyal,” Oshiomhole was quoted as saying.
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