Shaibu alleges Obaseki playing the role of ‘godfather’ in Edo

The Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has accused Governor Godwin Obaseki of nursing grudges against him.

Obaseki and his deputy have been at loggerheads since last year over the latter’s governorship ambition.

The pair appeared to have resolved their differences when Shaibu apologized to his boss and pledged his loyalty to him in September last year.

However, the crisis resurfaced a few days ago when Obaseki slashed the allocation to the deputy governor’s office in the 2024 budget.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his media aide, Ebomhiana Musa, Shaibu alleged that the governor had declared a full-scale war against him over his ambition.

The deputy governor lamented that Obaseki has pitched his tent with another governorship candidate in the state after he stood by him during the fight with former governor Adams Oshiomhole in 2020.

READ ALSO: EDO: Again, Shaibu dares Obaseki, explains why he went against gov’s wish

He said: “This is the same Governor that has issued me several commendation letters to date, that I am the best Deputy Governor any Governor will wish to have because of my efficiency, transparency, and accountability.

“Anyone who says I betrayed the governor is not correct. We all agreed as a group to fight godfathers – even the Governor pledged to fight godfatherism in the state and said he should be dealt with if he turned around and attempted to play the role of a godfather.

“Because I hate oppression, I staked my relationship (with Oshiomhole). In that relationship, I lost about 20% of my political capital in Edo North to support Godwin Obaseki, and in supporting him, even as deputy governor who does not have any line financially, through my friends and others, I supported the second term bid of the governor with my structure, all my vehicles and finances including how we got the ticket of PDP, I contributed financially.”

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