Reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, alongside the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legacy coalition members in his company, have defected to the All-Progressive Congress (APC)
He defected during the APC Edo State’s inauguration of the National Working Committee of the Edo governorship election meeting held on Saturday.
The meeting had in attendance the former governor of Kano State and National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, including the governors of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Cross River Bassey Otu.
The Edo state APC state chairman, Jarett Tenebe, and the Governorship Candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and Adams Oshiomole were also at the meeting.
Shuaibu who initially during the meeting, declared his intention to defect to APC, was later received into the party by the National Organising Secretary.
The development follows an accusation by Shaibu, on Friday, that his principal, Godwin Obaseki, of denying him entry into the state.
The 54-year-old stated this during an interview with newsmen two days after Federal High Court in Abuja ordered his reinstatement as deputy governor.
“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 said.
“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.”
Shaibu recalled when he declared his intention to run for the governorship ticket under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in November 2023, alleging Governor Obaseki said he would destroy him.
Describing himself as a devout Catholic, the deputy governor said it is only God that can destroy man.
He vowed to continue fighting all through the electioneering period until the September 21 governorship election in the state.
The deputy governor also accused the governor of orchestrating Thursday’s attack in Benin City, alleging that Obaseki was keeping true to his earlier promise to destroy him.
