The deputy governor of Edo State, who is also the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s 2024 governorship candidate, Philip Shaibu, has said that he feels betrayed by the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, after all he invested in supporting his political career.
Shaibu, in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, emphasized that he later even realized that in all his investments in supporting Obaseki’s second term, he was duped.
“I feel betrayed by the governor. I lost about 20% of my political capital in Edo north to support Godwin Obaseki and in supporting him, even as a deputy governor with no line financially, through my friends and all that, I supported the second term bid of the governor with my structure, all my vehicles and my finances including how we got the ticket of PDP, I contributed in naira and in dollars and I discovered that I was even duped. So, if I say betrayal, it’s an understatement. I feel hurt and betrayed.”
The deputy governor also categorically stated that he was not interested in becoming a deputy governor but gave in after a month of persuasion by his supporters.
“Actually, I was persuaded. I didn’t want to be deputy governor. I was very comfortable as a representative. It took almost one month to get me to be the deputy governor of Edo state and there was no protest.
“It was persuasion and my supporters said, look you must be there and I accepted. So as to add value to the ticket of Obaseki because Obaseki was not known and was not one of the politicians. So, they needed a young, vibrant politician that has won elections before and can add political value to the ticket.”
Shaibu further said he is the right person to lead the people of Edo state as he is one man who feels the emotion of the people. He added that the people of Edo are done with experimenting and now want an actual leader.
He said unlike Obaseki, who uses taxpayer’s money to procure support, he (Shaibu) has very organic supporters.
“The issue of being from Edo north or from Oshiomole’s incline is just an imagination of the governor and his team and they are pushing it just to have his partner to be the governor of Edo state and that would not work. I am a strict person. When you go deep down to check the feelings of the people, they need somebody that they know, somebody they can touch, somebody that is with them in pepper soup joint and I represent that person they are yearning for now. Edo people don’t want to experiment again.
“People are saying Shaibu is one popular deputy governor. I only have two government portfolios but I have to be feeling the gaps because I am close to the people, I know what they feel. The real issue is what value am I bringing in? The real agenda is that Edo north has never been giving tickets to contest for governorship of Edo state by the PDP.
“So, if we go into the concept of equity and fairness that the governor is sponsoring and that equity and fairness seems to favor PDP, it seems to favor Philip Shaibu. My contesting this election is not just for the fluke. The people are interested in it and that is why anywhere I go, I see organic support. My support is not procured just like the governor is using taxpayer’s money to procure support.”
Chioma Kalu
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