Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has explained that his decision not to support his former deputy, Philip Shaibu, for governor was intended to safeguard the interests of the state’s people.
Obaseki stated that backing Shaibu’s candidacy was too risky due to political dynamics in the state that were against him.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the governor discussed the rift between him and his former deputy ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party primary election.
The dispute led to Shaibu conducting a parallel primary, which the party rejected, and ultimately resulted in his impeachment by the state House of Assembly.
Obaseki explained, “For me, I did not understand where the ambition was coming from because it was clear that the odds were not in his favor in terms of succeeding me, and I made it very clear.”
“So, I could not take any risk on his ambition because I have to protect the Edo people. So, I could not take that risk on Edo people.”
Shaibu responded to his impeachment, saying, “This is not just an attack on me as an individual but on the democracy that we hold dear.” “It is a dangerous descent into dictatorship and a threat to the foundation of our democracy. Let it be clear that this impeachment was hatched because of my ambition to contest the Edo State 2024 governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. An ambition that is a legal right to all citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
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