Edo Deputy Gov, Shaibu, denies defection reports, says it’s handiwork of ‘hack writers’

Philip Shuaibu, the deputy governor of Edo State, has refuted the assertion that he has plans to defect from the People’s Democratic Party and join the All Progressives Congress.

In a statement on Thursday, his chief press secretary, Musa Ebomhiana, characterised the accusation as the work of troublemakers determined to worsen the divide between the deputy governor and his master, Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Obaseki and Shaibu have been at odds over Shaibu’s purported desire to succeed Obaseki as governor.

Shaibu also went to court to ask for a ruling to halt Obaseki’s claimed plan to have the state House of Assembly impeach him.

Obaseki referred to Shaibu’s lawsuit against him as being without merit on Monday when discussing the conflict between him and his deputy and asserted that there was no attempt to impeach him.

Additionally, Obaseki made it clear that Shaibu had prepared preparations to leave the PDP for the APC in order to pursue his governorship ambitions.

Read Also: Edo PDP moves to resolve rift between Gov Obaseki, deputy

Shaibu’s CPS, however, claimed in a statement on Thursday that the defection accusation was false and that it was the work of people who were “hack writers and mischief makers bent on destabilising our dear Edo State.”

“They will stop at nothing to widen the gulf between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu.

“They have generated more lies from the pit of hell, saying that Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu has perfected plans to rejoin the All Progressives Congress next week. There is no iota of truth in this.

“To further put a lie to this, the spin doctors claimed that the APC National Working Committee is set to receive him in Abuja. The question here for the discerning minds is: is it the NWC of a party that receives a defector into the party?

“Shaibu has never minced words, vowing to sink and swim with his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki. This, he has said severally at public fora.

“In view of this, I plead with these characters bent on driving a wedge between Shaibu and his boss, to put the Edo project and the people far above their own selfish interest,” Ebomhiana said.

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