Shaibu free to contest Edo gov, says Obaseki.

Shaibu free to contest Edo gov, says Obaseki.

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, declared on Thursday that his deputy, Philip Shuaibu, is free to contest for the state governorship in 2024.

Obaseki, who asserted that Shaibu had the constitutional right to do so, said nobody had a right to discourage the deputy governor.

He, however, sidestepped the question of whether he would support Shaibu, saying his lone vote could not determine Shaibu’s fate.

It was reported that Shaibu’s governorship ambition had pitted him against his principal, Obaseki.

The crisis between them degenerated into a court case, while Obaseki relocated Shaibu’s office out of the government house.

Notwithstanding Obaseki’s opposition, Shaibu dared his boss and formally declared his governorship ambition on Monday in Benin.

On Thursday, Obaseki spoke to journalists in Bauchi at the end of a closed-door meeting with Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.

Obaseki, who was in company with a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom, told newsmen that the meeting with Mohammed was to discuss issues relating to the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum.

“We came to see Governor Bala and as you know, he’s our Chairman, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum; so we decided to come and see him this afternoon, to congratulate him on his victory and discuss some issues relating to the PDP Governors’ Forum,” he said.

Asked if their discussion had anything to do with his relationship with his deputy, Obaseki said, “That is part of it.”

“We also discussed many other issues relating to our party as a whole and the state of the country. And as you know, things are not as we want them to be. We will keep rubbing our minds to see how we can support the administration and save this country by reducing the suffering of Nigerians,” he added.

About his relationship with his deputy, Obaseki said, “The relationship, as you know, has been cordial. He (Philip) wants to run for the office I currently occupy and he is free to. I think as a Nigerian, he has the constitutional right to run, nobody can or should stop him.

“The party will decide and also members of the party will decide who will be the flag bearer of the party in the forthcoming governorship election.”

When asked whether he would support him, Obaseki said, “I’m only one out of millions of our party members in Edo State. I don’t think my vote alone will determine whether he becomes the party’s flag bearer.”