The reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philips Shaibu, on Friday, said he was already an unofficial member of the All Progressives Congress.
He said the only thing still keeping him in the Peoples Democratic Party was because he was yet to officially dump the ruling party in Edo.
Reacting to questions on why he was supporting the APC governorship candidate in Edo when he featured on Arise TV’s morning show on Friday, the deputy governor maintained that his spirit had left the PDP.
Also read: Edo Deputy Gov battles as Governor lays mines for his impeachment
“In PDP now, everybody can support whoever they like. On the issue of supporting a candidate, the constitution guarantees that you can support who you like and you can belong to any political party,” Shaibu said.
This announcement follows a federal high court ruling in Abuja on Wednesday, July 17, that ordered Shaibu’s reinstatement after his impeachment in April. The court’s decision marks a significant development in Edo State’s political dynamics.
In a concerning incident, Shaibu’s convoy was attacked by suspected gunmen in Benin City during his first public appearance post-judgment. The attack resulted in the death of a police officer. At the time of the attack, Shaibu, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was accompanied by Monday Okpebholo, the APC candidate for the September 21 governorship election in Edo.
When questioned about his association with the APC governorship candidate, Shaibu stated that his “spirit” has departed from the PDP. He further elaborated, saying he is “as good as being a member of APC” and noted that “the only thing is that I have not officially left PDP.”
He added, “As of now, I’m a PDP man and I will not support anybody while I am in another party contrary to who I am supporting. For now, I am a member of PDP but going forward, I am good as being a member of APC; I can tell you that.”
When interjected that he (Shaibu) seems to have one leg in APC and one in PDP, he countered the claim, saying, “No, two legs in APC.
“The only thing that is keeping me in PDP is that I have not officially declared. Talking more seriously, I am actually a member of APC, but on official. My spirit has left PDP for a long time, it is only my leg and body that are still there because my PDP party card is still with me and I have not picked an APC party card yet. But in terms of spirit, my spirit has left PDP and is now in APC.”
He also alleged that since the political crisis in the state started, he had called his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, 111 times without the governor picking up his calls or returning them.
“I had made up my mind not to call him again, but I always send him texts. Before now, when I started counting, I called him (Obaseki) 111 times during that crisis, but he never picked up. I sent him texts, and he never replied, but it never really mattered. The last text I sent to him was on his birthday,” Shaibu said.
Straightnews reports that Shaibu was impeached by the State House of Assembly on April 8, 2024.
However, he was reinstated on Wednesday after Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Abuja High Court ruled that he was unjustly impeached.
Meanwhile, a police officer identified as Okon, attached to the APC candidate in the September 21 governorship election, Monday Okpebholo, was killed after mobs attacked his convoy and that of Shaibu, in Benin on Thursday after leaving the Benin Airport.
Shaibu and Okpebholo arrived at the Benin Airport around 2 p.m. to the rousing welcome of supporters.
