Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu is at crossroads. He is interested in succeeding his boss, Governor Godwin Obaseki. But, he is no longer comfortable in the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) where he was jointly elected for a second term three years ago. He is said to be planning to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC). His former political godfather, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, and other party stakeholders are not keen about his return. Southsouth Bureau Chief BISI OLANIYI gives an insight into the dilemma of the deputy governor

Philip Shaibu’s aspiration to succeed his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, is the cause of the trouble between them. Though the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State is yet to officially zone its ticket for next year’s governorship election to Edo Central Senatorial District, otherwise known as Esanland, the governor has initially wanted the party’s candidate to come from that zone.

This is predicated on fairness, equity and justice, as Edo Central, which is the smallest of the three senatorial districts in terms of the voting population, is yet to produce a governor since the return to civil rule in 1999. Owing to their huge voting population, Edo South and Edo North have dominated the governorship since 1999. Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who hails from Edo North Senatorial District, was governor for eight years between 2009 and 2017. Governor Obaseki who succeeded Oshiomhole is from Edo South.

Though there is no clear cut agreement on zoning, it is something that many people in the Southsouth state are sentimentally attached to. Shaibu’s determination to contest the election scheduled to hold in September next year is against the zoning or rotational arrangement. And the deputy governor’s ambition has undermined the cordial relationship initially existing between him and his principal.

Shaibu has been working quietly underground to realize this ambition. For instance, he was said to have differed with Obaseki ahead of the February 25 presidential election by pleading with the traditional rulers and stakeholders in Edo North to massively vote for the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, with the hope that his former political godfather will support his 2024 governorship ambition.

Besides, Shaibu opted to be in Abuja to felicitate with Senator Oshiomhole during the inauguration of the 10^thNational Assembly in June, rather than witness Obaseki’s inauguration of the first batch of 15 members of the Executive Council. Shaibu’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Ebomhiana Musa, justified Shaibu’s action, declaring that Oshiomhole remained the deputy governor’s godfather. Musa said: “You cannot separate father and son. Comrade Oshiomhole is his (Shaibu’s) godfather; once a godfather, always a godfather.”

The crisis generated by Shaibu’s purported defection to the APC has put the Edo deputy governor who has been in government for 18 uninterrupted years in a dilemma. The Edo government said it was Shaibu’s decision to declare war against his boss that put him in trouble.

A top government official and an ally of Governor Obaseki, who spoke in confidence with The Nation, advised Shaibu to halt his governorship aspiration and let the administration focus on good governance, not politics. He said Shaibu became uncomfortable when he realised that the zoning system in the PDP would not favour him.

He said the deputy governor was in talks with the leadership of the APC at the national level to defect to the ruling party at the centre. Efforts to get the reactions of the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare; Obaseki’s Special Adviser on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie; and the governor’s newly-appointed Chief Press Secretary (CPS) Andrew Okungbowa proved abortive.

To prevent his impeachment by members of the Edo State House of Assembly, Shaibu has approached a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja to stop the proceedings. The Benin monarch, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, and some stakeholders, had made efforts to reconcile Obaseki and Shaibu to no avail before the latter approached the Abuja Federal High Court.

Obaseki described Shaibu’s suit to stop his planned impeachment as a preemptive move ahead of his defection to the APC. The governor spoke at the Government House, Benin, while receiving PDP’s leaders of Edo North. He said Shaibu did not have the courtesy to discuss his governorship aspiration with him.

He said: “The last time we spoke of my successor after the House of Assembly election, I did say that we should be patient and that our task is to try and finish well and conclude all the projects that we started. It is only when we do this right that we will have the support of the people for my successor.

“I believe that this action by him (Shaibu) is a preemptive move to get a court order, keep his ticket, and move to another party. I think it is unfair to our party. We do not need this sort of crisis.”

Shaibu appears to be isolated. He does not appear to have allies either in the PDP or the APC. The embattled deputy governor doesn’t even have the backing of party stakeholders from Edo North where he hails from. PDP bigwigs from the zone have disowned him over his suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, to halt the plots to remove him.

They indicated that they are behind Obaseki and would not mind his successor coming from Edo Central or Edo South. The Edo North PDP stakeholders said Shaibu is the brain behind the crises tearing the party apart, involving Obaseki, Oshiomhole and Dan Orbih, the leader of Legacy Group in Edo PDP, as well as other top politicians, by sowing seeds of discord and causing confusion for his selfish interest. Kabiru Adjoto, a grassroots politician, has been tipped to replace Shaibu as deputy governor.

PDP leaders in Edo North said it is unprecedented that a sitting deputy governor would initiate a court action against his principal, without any justification, as in the case of Shaibu. They said it is also sad that Shaibu has engaged social media miscreants to disparage Obaseki. They added: “The Abuja Federal High Court action by Shaibu is not only speculative but baseless and highly embarrassing. We are coming out today to disassociate the Afemai (Edo North) people from the Ill-conceived court action, and to apologise to Governor Obaseki for the unfortunate incident. Edo North people stand for equity, fairness and justice. We are grateful to other senatorial districts, particularly the majority tribe (Benin) of Edo South, for allowing us to produce the governor of Edo State (Oshiomhole), from 2008 to 2016. We shall not abuse the privilege.

“The people of Edo North Senatorial District are solidly behind Governor Godwin Obaseki, and urge him not to be distracted by the current rat race of succession, which to us is premature, individualistic and diversionary.”

Edo North PDP leaders added that they had earlier sent a delegation to Shaibu, urging him to give peace a chance and work with Obaseki, “since there could not be two captains in a ship, but to our greatest surprise, he (Shaibu) turned down the peace offer”.

They conceded that Shaibu has the right to vie as governor in the forthcoming election, “but he ought to have followed due process, without rocking the boat or heating the polity”.

He also does not enjoy the sympathy of his colleagues in the APC. Assistant Publicity Secretary of the Edo APC, Victor Osehobo said: “I have no iota of sympathy for the outgoing deputy governor, who is scared and wailing that he will be impeached.”

Osehobo also predicted that Obaseki’s bid to become the godfather of Edo politics is doomed to fail. He added: “He cannot be seeking to choose his successor, posing as a godfather, whereas he opposed godfatherism over time. As a godson, Obaseki did not wait to get sufficient guidance from his godfather (Oshiomhole), to understand the responsibilities and expectations associated with the role. Becoming a godfather requires a certain level of preparation, including learning, understanding the importance of the role, and being committed to being a positive influence. Obaseki invested time and effort into destroying his godfather (Oshiomhole).”

Governor Obaseki had Obaseki contemplated backing a renowned Lagos-based lawyer, Asue Ighodalo, from Edo Central senatorial district, as his successor, according to sources in Government House, Benin. But, Ighodalo, the sources added, politely declined for undisclosed reasons.The Edo governor is now considering his Secretary to State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, also a lawyer, as a possible candidate for the party.

But, the SSG hails from Obaseki’s Edo South Senatorial District. The advantage is that Edo South, with seven local governments, is the district with the largest voting strength in the state. Edo South is made up of the following local governments: Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, Egor, Ovia Northeast, Ovia Southwest, Orhionmwon and Uhunmwonde.

Nevertheless, Obaseki’s latest gambit may backfire if he goes ahead with it; because it is coming at a time the indigenes of Edo Central are agitating to produce the governor next year, to ensure fairness, equity and justice. Edo Central is the least, with five of the 18 local governments. They are Esan West, Esan Central, Esan Northeast, Esan Southeast, and Igueben. The third senatorial district, Edo North, has six councils. They are namely Etsako West, Etsako East, Etsako Central, Akoko-Edo, Owan West and Owan East.

Besides, the division within Edo PDP, with the face-off between Obaseki and Orbih, may also undermine the party’s chances in the coming governorship election. The party chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi has, however, assured that he would ensure reconciliation between Obaseki and Shaibu. Aziegbemi said party chieftains are working behind the scenes to ensure peace, especially to quickly resolve the face-off between the governor and his deputy. He said: “No PDP lawmaker in the Edo State House of Assembly has informed me of any move to impeach the deputy governor. As a party, we are not aware of the impeachment plot. We will soon get over the disagreement between Governor Obaseki and Comrade Shaibu, as we are making efforts, but you do not expect me to give the details on the pages of a newspaper.” (The Nation)