Reinstated Edo Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu has revealed that he would have abandoned his governorship ambition if his principal, Godwin Obaseki, had approached him reasonably.
Instead, Obaseki’s alleged threats and dictatorial behavior strengthened Shaibu’s resolve to pursue his ambition.
Shaibu, who has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) spoke candidly during a courtesy visit to the APC National Working Committee in Abuja, on Thursday.
He described Obaseki as a dictator and expressed feelings of betrayal despite his loyalty and sacrifices.
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Shaibu claimed he won the Edo State PDP governorship primary with 381 delegates but was shut out of the venue. He has since been vindicated by two court judgments, which declared his delegates authentic.
Shaibu emphasized his commitment to internal democracy and his ambition to fix the state, stating that he would have supported another candidate if they shared his vision.
However, cording to him, Obaseki’s behavior led to their fallout, and he is determined to prevent dictatorship from derailing democracy in Edo State.
He said, “We are in court and by the grace of God, I had already been vindicated by two judgments. What is critical is that I want to prove internal democracy must be respected and allowed to play. You can lobby, you can talk to people and people will understand. If the governor had shown leadership, maybe I wouldn’t have contested because I am not a desperate person.
“My ambition is not inordinate. I have an ambition to fix the state. If somebody else can agree that we collectively fix it, I will follow. But the governor wanted to behave like a military dictator. And for me, we fought. I have captained people that have fought for this democracy. I started from the youth wing. I am sure I am one of the top people you will mention for this democracy that we now have. And for me, I cannot watch this democracy be derailed and allow dictatorship to take control.”
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