In a significant political shift, Shaibu announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the APC Edo State’s inauguration of the National Working Committee for the upcoming Edo governorship election. The event, held on Saturday, saw notable attendees, including former Kano State governor and APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, along with Ondo State governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Cross River governor Bassey Otu.
Also present were Edo State APC Chairman Jarett Tenebe, Governorship Candidate Senator Monday Okpebholo, and former Edo State governor Adams Oshiomole. Shaibu was formally welcomed into the APC by the National Organising Secretary.
Shaibu’s defection comes in the wake of a public dispute with his principal, Godwin Obaseki. On Friday, Shaibu accused Obaseki of denying him entry into Edo State. During an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Shaibu claimed, “Yesterday, I got intel that the governor has told his men that they must not allow me into town. I am a free-born of Edo State, nobody can stop me from entering Edo State.”
He further emphasized his constitutional right to enter the state, asserting, “The constitution does not allow anybody to bar me from entering Edo State, not even when I am a deputy governor. Even if I am an ordinary citizen, I should have a right. I should have freedom.”
Recalling his bid for the PDP governorship ticket in November 2023, Shaibu alleged that Obaseki threatened to destroy him. “I remember the governor saying during this crisis when I declared to contest for the governor that if I continued, he would destroy me,” he said.
Describing himself as a devout Catholic, Shaibu vowed to persist in his political fight through the electioneering period until the September 21 governorship election. He accused Obaseki of orchestrating an attack in Benin City, where his convoy, along with that of APC candidate Monday Okpebholo, was targeted by suspected gunmen. The attack resulted in the death of a police inspector, Okon, attached to Okpebholo.
Shaibu expressed his determination to uphold the office of the deputy governor, accusing Obaseki of attempting to undermine it for personal gain. “One of my main cardinal goals is to strengthen institutions. I am seeing the institution of the office of the deputy governor being destroyed by the governor for personal gain. That is why I am fighting to bring back the sanity of the office of the deputy governor not for my personal self. The governor has not paid me for the past year and I know he is not going to pay me for the remaining four months,” he stated.
