The political landscape in Edo State witnessed a dramatic turn as former allies, Philip Shaibu and Governor Godwin Obaseki, found themselves at odds, culminating in Shaibu’s impeachment as deputy governor. The rift stemmed from Shaibu’s aspiration to contest for the governorship of Edo State, a move that Obaseki could not support.
The rift between Shaibu and Obaseki deepened as Shaibu’s gubernatorial ambition clashed with the political dynamics of the state. Despite claims of betrayal from some quarters, Governor Obaseki clarified that supporting Shaibu’s ambition posed risks for the people of Edo State, given the prevailing circumstances and power-sharing arrangements within the region.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Governor Obaseki emphasized that the odds were not in Shaibu’s favor to succeed him as governor, prompting him to prioritize the interests of the Edo people over Shaibu’s ambition.
Shaibu’s impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly followed allegations of leaking government information, further fueling tensions between the former allies. In response, Shaibu condemned his impeachment as an attack on democracy, attributing it to his ambition to contest the 2024 governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a social media post, Shaibu underscored the importance of upholding democratic principles and decried what he perceived as a descent into dictatorship. He reiterated that his aspiration to run for governorship was a legal right guaranteed to all Nigerian citizens.
“For me, I did not understand where the ambition was coming from because it was clear that the odds were not in his favour in terms of succeeding me and I made it very clear,” he said on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today in an apparent reference to the state’s power-sharing arrangement.
“So, I could not take any risk on his ambition because I have to protect the Edo people. So, I could not take that risk on Edo people.”
In the wake of his impeachment, Shaibu had described the development as an attack on the country’s democracy.
“This is not just an attack on me as an individual but on the democracy that we hold dear,” he said in a social media video post.
“It is a dangerous descent into dictatorship and a threat to the foundation of our democracy. Let it be clear that this impeachment was hatched because of my ambition to contest the Edo State 2024 governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. An ambition that is a legal right to all citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
