Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, is set to announce his bid for the governorship today, 27th November 2023, raising tensions with incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The declaration is scheduled to take place in Benin City, the state capital, under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The battleground for this political clash is Eterno Hotel on Aiguobasimwin Crescent, off Ikpokpan Road, Government Reservation Area (GRA), where both Shaibu’s supporters and Obaseki’s loyalists are converging for separate meetings. The atmosphere is charged as the two factions prepare to flex their political muscles.
Shaibu’s announcement coincides with the fourth meeting of the ‘Finish Well Group,’ the primary structure supporting Governor Obaseki within the Edo PDP.
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The group’s gathering started at 7:30 a.m., while Shaibu’s supporters were anticipated to storm the venue at 8 a.m., setting the stage for a potentially contentious face-off.
Despite hailing from the same political party, the rift between Obaseki and Shaibu has been evident, with the governor not endorsing his deputy’s aspiration to succeed him in the upcoming election. The deputy governor, who emphasizes his loyalty to Obaseki, hails from Edo North Senatorial District and remains determined to contest the poll.
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The stakes are further heightened as Obaseki is rumored to favor Lagos-based lawyer Asue Ighodalo, from Edo Central, as his preferred successor.
