Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has spoken about an incident which made him deny his deputy, Philip Shaibu, access to his house.
During a meeting with elders and leaders from Etsako West, East and Central Local Government of the State, held in Jattu, Etsako West LGA, as part of campaigns for the September 2, local council election,
Obaseki alleged that Shaibu is planning to overthrow him in his desperation to become the next governor of the state.
“My deputy governor has become so desperate to take over and is ready to do anything including carrying out a coup d’etat to ensure he kicks me out and become the governor of Edo State.”
“What struck me was his action after the proclamation of the Edo State House of Assembly and preparing to elect officers in the House. He was in Abuja and came back that day. I am the Chief Security Officer of the State, I get any information I need but keep quiet about it and use that information quietly.
“My deputy called a leader in APC telling him that during the election of Speaker of the House of Assembly the next day, that he has five loyal members and that he would like the seven members of the APC in the House to work with him to produce the Speaker.
“I called the PDP members to my house to familiarize myself with them following this information. Shaibu tried to barge in. I said you can’t come into my house. It’s my private house, not even the Government House. You have to have the courtesy, but now it’s my prerogative to allow you in or out.
“After hearing what he did, I didn’t allow him to come in. The next day, we went to the House and he came and we elected our Speaker. What he did is not working in the interest of the party. How can he have a different candidate aside from what the governor wants?”
He said he sacrificed to ensure that Shaibu retained his position as deputy governor after they had moved from the APC amid the crisis in the run-up to the 2020 Governorship poll.
“I insisted that for me to be governor, Philip Shaibu must be my deputy and never allowed any negotiation on that stand. If you want me to serve as governor of Edo State, it must be me and my deputy.
“In anything I am doing, I am open to the SSG and my deputy and give them responsibility. When I went on vacation I handed over power to my deputy. He called me while on vacation on some issues but I told him that he is in charge, urging him to go ahead and make mistakes. When I am back, we would correct it together.
He said the constitution made him the Governor and gives him the power of the governor, adding that it provides for a deputy governor who carries out the responsibility the governor gives to him but does not give the deputy the power of the governor.”
He however said the deputy governor never discussed his governorship ambition with him, but went to Abuja and didn’t tell him only for him to see him on social media and television as the video was all over the place boasting to leave the party.
The chief press secretary to the deputy governor, Musa Ebomhiana, when contacted, declined comment.
