Edo Crisis: Obaseki duped me – Shaibu alleges

Philip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State has alleged he was duped while supporting the second governorship bid of his principal, Godwin Obaseki.

He made this known in an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday, January 10.

According to him, while he staked his long-term relationship with Obaseki’s predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole, to fight apparent godfatherism and back his principal’s ambition, he later found out that he was duped.

He said, “Because I hate oppression, I staked my relationship. 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 that does not have any line financially, through my friends and others, I supported the second term bid of the governor with my structures, all my vehicles and finances including how we got the ticket of PDP, I contributed financially both in naira and dollars and I discovered I was even duped.

“So, If I say betrayal, it is an understatement. I feel very hurt and betrayed because I sacrificed my personal earnings and entitlement just to have the system working.”

Shaibu, who is a former student union leader, lamented that despite standing with Obaseki against someone (Oshiomhole) whom he considered as a father, it was surprising that the governor is pitching tent with another governorship aspirant to become the next governor.

The Punch reports that some Peoples Democratic Party leaders in Edo North, the senatorial district of Shuaibu, endorsed a former Sterling Bank chairman, Asue Ighodalo, as their preferred PDP governorship candidate on Sunday.

The meeting was at the instance of a former deputy governor of the state, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, and had in attendance many party heavyweights.

Also, Ighodalo is rumoured to have Obaseki’s backing, who is opposed to Shaibu’s governorship ambition to succeed him.