By Abiola Olawale
Former deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu has officially reversed himself as he announced his decision to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), ahead of the September 21 governorship election in the state.
Shaibu announced this on Saturday in Benin City, the state capital. He was accompanied by prominent members of the Dan Orbih-led Legacy Group of the PDP as he publicly made a U-turn and returned to APC.
In his address, Shaibu said he rejoined APC to support the governorship candidate of the party, Monday Okpebholo.
He said: “On behalf of the Legacy Group, I announce our movement to the APC. We have come to add value to the party,” Shaibu said.
“It is time to take back our state. We will not talk too much because action will speak for us. We are not afraid. We are ready to move forward.
“We, the homeboys, are ready to take our state back through the APC governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa.
“We are not troublemakers, but if it comes, we will use it to rub our body, and we move on.”
The New Diplomat reports that this is coming after Shiabu fell out with his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State.
The relationship between the duo has been frosty since Shaibu first raised the alarm of a plot to impeach him and instituted a case against the planned move.
The situation escalated after Shaibu held what many considered as an illegal parallel primary election where he purportedly declared himself the governorship candidate of the PDP.
A few days later, the Edo State Assembly impeached Shaibu. The impeachment followed the adoption of the report of the seven-man investigation panel set up by the state’s Chief Judge to probe allegations of misconduct against Shaibu.
The retired Justice S. A. Omonuwa-led panel had accused Shaibu of allegedly leaking the state government’s secrets in the affidavit he filed in support of his suit in Abuja.
However, in reaction of the above development, Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, had declared the impeachment of Shaibu as illegal and unconstitutional.
The judge in his ruling held that Shuaibu’s impeachment and subsequent removal from office violated the provisions of the law.
