The Edo State government has refuted the allegations levelled against Governor Godwin Obaseki by his Deputy, Philip Shaibu, who claimed that Governor Obaseki was using taxpayer funds to support his preferred candidate in the upcoming 2024 gubernatorial elections.
Shaibu, had in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday accused his principal, Obaseki, of using public funds to campaign for his preferred candidate, as well as bringing back godfatherism into the state in his support for an ‘outsider’s’ bid to run for the post of governor.
The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation in Edo State, Chris Nehikhare, in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, refuted those statements, saying that the things that Shaibu has said were ‘blatantly false.’
He said, “When people are campaigning, when they are trying to get acceptance from the people, from the party they belong to, they allude to all sorts of things. They all say all sort of things to get some form of sympathy or some form of recognition or a form of acceptance. And there were some things he said yesterday that were blatantly false.
“One of the most disturbing things he said yesterday was when he said the governor is using taxpayers money to fund an aspirant. I think His excellency Phillip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor, being number two, should provide proof to Nigerians for such grievous allegations. It is completely false, it’s irresponsible, and we challenge him to come out and show proof of that type of allegations.”
Nehikhare also addressed Shaibu’s claim that Obaseki had betrayed him as he said that the allegations of betrayal are irrelevant to the politics of the state. He said, “Our government is focused on finishing strong, our government is focused on providing services and providing infrastructure for the people of Edo State. We are not involved in this succession battle which Shaibu has taken personally, and we wish him well. He’s a member of the party, and he is free, like the governor has said so many times, to contest for it and ask the people of PDP to nominate him as their candidate.”
Speaking of the allegations that Shaibu laid against Obaseki when he said that the governor is bringing back political godfatherism in the state by supporting an ‘outsider’ in his bid to be the governor of Edo State, Nehikhare said that Shaibu is “clutching at all types of straws”, as Obaseki in no way or form has indicated that he has a preferred candidate.
He, however, did say, “We in Edo State know that we must put up our best as our candidate at all times. We’re not going to compromise quality for rabble rousers, we are not. We have lots of people interested in the position of governor that come from across the three territorial districts, and we do not see anyone as an outsider. Instead, we are proud that our sons have left Benin many years ago, set up businesses across the country, and those businesses are thriving. They have put in place mechanisms to make sure these businesses work out and people are running them even after they have exited that business. How can you now call that kind of a man an outsider?
“Meanwhile, here we have a deputy governor who has all his life been in politics. He left school, served at Student Union, and he has not set up one single business that we can call sustainable. But whatever he has, he has made through the patronage of politics. We want the best of Edo at all times to come and run our state.”
While affirming that Obaseki has not said he has a preferred candidate, the commissioner said, “What I see going on in Edo is that Edo people have unanimously, within PDP, said we want the best for our state. And apart from Asue Ighodalo, other people have also come up asking for this same ticket. And when you look at their antecedents, you will notice that they have done well in whatever industries they are involved in, and we encourage them.”
He further said, “Whoever the governor’s preference is doesn’t determine who the candidate becomes. The candidate comes from who the delegates of the party choose on the day of the primaries.”
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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