Edo Poll: Obaseki needs to apologise to Edo people— Philip Shaibu

Abdullateef Fowewe

The embattled Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu has reacted to the outcome of the Saturday, September 21, Edo state election which made the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Monday Okpebholo, governor-elect.

Shaibu during a season with Arise TV on Monday, stated that he felt vindicated after the election results came out and that Governor Godwin Obaseki should have learnt from the outcome.

He expressed that the outcome of the recently concluded governorship election in Edo State, confirms his belief that Obaseki lacks popularity, establishing that the governor needs to apologize to Edo people.

Shaibu had a fallout with Obaseki over his 2024 gubernatorial ambitions, which made him support the APC gubernatorial candidate in the election.

Shaibu while speaking during the interview urged the Obaseki to apologise to the people of Edo, particularly those he had removed from his administration.

Shaibu said, “I actually feel vindicated and thank God for it. I am water and I don’t have an enemy. Those who unfortunately decided that I am their enemy, I have always prayed for them to live long and see how God’s miracles continue to work in my life.

“I am a team player and somebody that likes to do my work the way it is and if I make a mistake, it is a human mistake and not out of envy or wickedness.

“Yesterday, I was so excited and I am happy that I’m counted among the numbers that helped the APC to regain the seat. I have also been able to cancel that negative impression that Shaibu does not win his ward. It is a lie because I have never lost my ward or unit. The highest votes came from my unit.

“Even the governor could not win his Local Government. I won my unit, which is number one now in the State, and I won my ward and LG which is also number one. I took first from the unit to Ward and to the LG.”

He further stated that Obaseki has never won his ward, stating that they have been the ones helping him to win the elections accusing that when the governor got the power he shunned them.

Nevertheless, he advised Obaseki to go and apologise to the Edo residents, emphasising the need for the governor to apologise to the state residents.

“Where are the governor’s results? He has never won, we only assist him but unfortunately, he got the power and he decided to start kicking us out. It is very unfortunate and I hope he learns his lessons. What is less for him now is to go back and apologise to the people of Edo State and there are a lot of them that he needs to apologise to them,” he added.

Dailyeconomy had earlier reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission had on Sunday, September 22, declared APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo as the winner of the Edo guber election, with 291,667 votes, defeating Obaseki’s preferred candidate, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, who secured 247,274 votes.