Edo State deputy-governor, Philip Shaibu, has told his boss governor Godwin Obaseki not to intimidate him, but rather hold discussions with with him on the best candidate to contest on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in next year’s elections.
Hon. Shaibu, Monday declared his ambition to contest for the governorship position in the September 21, 2024 elections, this is coming on the heels of his feud with governor Obaseki over who replaces him as chief executive of the State. Speaking on Channels TV’s Sunrise Tuesday Shaibu said. “He (Obaseki) said I am the type of deputy governor any governor would wish to have. So, what has changed? What has changed simply is that I want to be the governor of Edo State.
“Possibly, maybe he (Obaseki) wants somebody else. In a situation like that, what you do is not intimidation, it is not harassment; you call a family together, you call all of us (aspirants) together and give us reasons why you feel certain things should be. Tell us what you want. You don’t intimidate, you don’t harass.
“If I am governor tomorrow and my deputy wants to contest, he has the right to contest. If I want to support somebody else, I also have the right to support somebody else, not intimidation.
“No conversation and then the next thing is intimidation and harassment, not to somebody that has sacrificed for the government.”
The PDP governorship aspirant said he won’t cave in to pressure or intimidation but can be won over through engagements and discussions.
“I am someone that can easily give in after engagement but I am not somebody that can give in to intimidation. If I am to give in to intimidation, we won’t have democracy today,” Shaibu said.
“It’s my cross I am carrying and that is why I have refused. I don’t need to fight. I am loyal to the governor; it’s not disputed but my right to contest is mine. Loyalty is given and it is fully given even with the humiliations and everything I am still loyal but when it comes to contest, it is my constitutional right,”
“I have no problem but I beg the governor, the governor should know he is the leader, he must be able to organise all of us, he must not love one more than the other. If he must do so, he must humiliate one,” Shaibu said, adding that he has been “praying that this whole relationship thing comes to normal”.
