“It’s false; I’ll stand by
Obaseki through thick and thin,” declares Shaibu
After his recent disagreements
with Governor Godwin Obaseki, Comrade Philip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo
State, is expected to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) next week,
unless unforeseen circumstances arise.
A confidential source within the
ruling party revealed that the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) is
scheduled to officially welcome him into the party early next week.
However, Shaibu’s move to the APC
is facing challenges due to Senator Adams Oshiomhole’s position. Oshiomhole,
the former national chairman of the APC, stated that the party should not serve
as a rehabilitation center for distressed politicians.
Shaibu, who had previously joined
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alongside Governor Obaseki after being
denied the APC re-election ticket, has denied reports of his intention to
defect. He expressed that he remains steadfastly aligned with Governor Obaseki
and dismissed the defection rumors as baseless.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in
Abuja reiterated its order from August 4, which halted an alleged impeachment
plot against Shaibu as deputy governor. The court postponed the hearing on the
matter until August 22.
Shaibu’s potential defection to
the APC seems to have been confirmed by inside sources. He has been in
discussions with party leaders at both the state and national levels and is
ready to rejoin the APC.
Governor Obaseki expressed
surprise at Shaibu’s legal actions to prevent his alleged impeachment, viewing
it as a preemptive move before his expected defection to the APC.
In response, Shaibu’s Chief Press
Secretary, Mr. Ebomhiana Musa, dismissed the defection reports as falsehoods,
emphasizing that Shaibu remains committed to Governor Obaseki and their joint
goals for Edo State.
The Federal High Court’s hearing
on Shaibu’s case to prevent his alleged impeachment has been postponed to
August 22. The court reiterated its earlier order for all parties involved to
maintain the status quo until the case is resolved.
