Edo rift: Deputy Gov buckles, withdraws suit against Obaseki

By Titus Akhigbe

Two days to the scheduled hearing of his suit by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja against the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki,the state Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, yesterday suddenly withdrew the matter.

The court had fixed September 7 for progress on the suit, and had directed all parties to the widely-celebrated suit to maintain status quo ante bellum.

Fearing alleged subterranean impeachment moves against him on account of his rumoured governorship aspiration, Shaibu had approached the court for refuge against the purported impeachment plan and possible removal from office.

In a motion on notice brought before the Court, Shaibu, the appellant, had sought an order of interlocutory injunction stopping the respondents (Obaseki, state House of Assembly and others) or their agents from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing or preventing him from carrying out the functions of his office as Deputy Governor of Edo State, including attending State Executive Council meetings and other functions pending the determination of the substantive suit.

However, the wind of peace presently seems to be blowing on the horizon as the Deputy Governor has withdrawn the suit.

Confirmation of this came from a statement emanating from the Office of the Deputy Governor and duly signed by him.

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The statement read: “Arising from the series of meetings held with me and also with Mr.Governor by well-meaning Edolites and indeed Nigerians including party leaders, traditional rulers, my Archbishop, His Grace Most Rev’d Dr. Augustine Akubeze, on the issues that led to my going to court on the above-named suit and with due respect to these eminent personalities and leaders whose persuasions and persons I cannot ignore, I, Rt.Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu have authorized and instructed my solicitors to withdraw the Suit forthwith.

“I wish to sincerely thank and appreciate these well-meaning Nigerians, party leaders, traditional rulers, and my Archbishop, His Grace Most Rev’d Augustine Akubeze for their kind words, advice and encouragement thus far in ensuring peace and unity in our dear State, Edo.

”I also wish to place on record my special thanks to Mr Governor, my boss and senior brother for this path of peace.”

The battle of wits between the duo took a dangerous turn when the Deputy Governor’s office was moved out of Government House to an abandoned building on Number 7,Dennis Osadebey Avenue in Government Reserved Area (GRA), Benin City, the state capital.

Before the relocation, the Governor disbanded the media crew attached to Shaibu’s office, with a firm directive to the embattled Deputy Governor to request the state Ministry of Communication and Orientation for media coverage of his official activities.

In August, rising from one of its weekly state Executive Council (Exco) meetings, the Council had condemned the Deputy Governor for dragging Gov. Obaseki and four others to Court over the alleged plan to impeach him .

Stating the position of the Exco at a press briefing held after the Council rose, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare had said said that the Exco was saddened by Shaibu’s action and condemned such in strong terms.

He said: “Exco has condemned in very strong terms the position that our Deputy Governor has taken by taking the state Governor, House of Assembly and others to court over his impeachment claim, which was not a thing before he went to court.

”Exco condemned it and are saddened by the way this has happened and we all expressed our disappointment on what is going on. And I think Edo people should have the right to understand that what is happening is abnormal; we do not condone it; it is not acceptable to us but then, he is an individual.

“What he did is a breach of trust; a breach of the oath he swore to. Some of the things that are contained, some of the documents he put in the public space, are sensitive government documents and are what he swore to keep as secret. He breached what he swore to protect –that is the truth, and there are consequences when that happens.

”But as politicians, we always look for a way to resolve these issues because we want everybody to always come and be together as politicians. But what he has done is a breach of trust. Again, as politicians, we never shut the door.”

At the base of the squabbling, reports said, was the Deputy Governor’s ambition to run for Governor when his tenure ends next year. Gubernatorial poll comes up in Edo in 2024.

But, reports claimed that Gov. Obaseki stood against Shaibu’s aspiration on the ground that his zone, Edo North, had produced the state Governor 9Adams Oshiomhole, from whom Obaseki took over.

The Governor reportedly insisted that a zone, Edo Central, which had not produced the state Governor since the era of the late Ambrose Alli (1979-83) should be allowed to do so in 2024 –to Shaibu’s chagrin.

As the crisis between the state’s two top citizens escalated, Gov. Obaseki said the Deputy Governor had started hobnobbing with leaders of the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and that he (Shaibu) may be considering joining them.

However, Oshiomhole, now a Senator, poured cold water on the allegation, saying APC was not a party or resting ground for ”distressed politicians or an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp”, and called on Shaibu, who is his kinsman, by the way, to be loyal to his boss.

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