THE embattled deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) victory in last Saturday’s governorship election in the state vindicated him.
Speaking on Arise Television, Shuaibu expressed delight with the victory of the APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo in the poll.
Shuaibu, who has had a strained relationship with the state Governor Godwin Obaseki, noted that his efforts during the election aided the APC’s victory, challenging any doubts about his influence.
“Yesterday, I was so excited that I was counted among the numbers that have helped APC take power in Edo State. I have also cancelled that blackmail and negative impression flying, that Philip Shuaibu, does not win his ward.
“I have never lost my ward, I have never lost my unit.”
The deputy governor further pointed out that he not only won his unit and ward but also delivered his local government for the APC.
He said in contrast, Obaseki failed to secure his local government.
“Even the governor couldn’t win his local government. I won my unit, ward and local government. Where are the governor’s results? He has never won; we always assisted him. I insisted, unfortunately, he got the power and he decided to start kicking us and removing the ladder.
“Hope he learns his lessons. What is left now is for him to go back and start begging and apologising to the people of Edo and he has a lot of them that he needs to apologise to.”
The ICIR reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, Monday 23, declared Okpebholo the winner of the governorship election conducted in the state on Saturday, September 21.
Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who won 247,274 votes.
However, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Olumide Akpata, came a distant third after garnering 22,763 in the election.
With the declaration, Okpebholo will succeed the PDP’s Governor Godwin Obaseki, who leaves office on November 12 after serving two terms of four years apiece.
The ICIR reported how the Edo State House of Assembly impeached Shaibu after an unresolved rift with the deputy governor. The rift arose from Shaibu’s intention to succeed his principal.
Though Obaseki appointed a replacement for Shaibu whom the State House of Assembly promptly swore in, Shaibu proceeded to court and challenged his impeachment.
A Federal High Court in Abuja reinstated him, but the state government ignored him and proceeded to appeal the ruling.
The suit is still pending in court.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M