Politics

Shaibu Declares Self ‘Unofficial APC Member’

Published

5 months ago

Jul 19, 2024.

I Have Resumed Duties From Home - Shaibu

Reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philips Shaibu, revealed on Friday that he considers himself an unofficial member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Eko Hot Blog reports that he stated that the only reason he remains in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is because he has yet to officially leave the ruling party in Edo.

Responding to questions about his support for the APC governorship candidate in Edo during an appearance on Arise TV’s morning show, Shaibu asserted that his allegiance had already shifted from the PDP.

“In PDP now, everybody can support whoever they like. On the issue of supporting a candidate, the constitution guarantees that you can support who you like and you can belong to any political party,” Shaibu said.

He added, “As of now, I’m a PDP man and I will not support anybody while I am in another party contrary to who I am supporting. For now, I am a member of PDP but going forward, I am good as being a member of APC; I can tell you that.”

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When it was suggested that he seemed to have one foot in each party, Shaibu replied, “No, two legs in APC. The only thing that is keeping me in PDP is that I have not officially declared. Talking more seriously, I am actually a member of APC, but unofficial. My spirit has left PDP for a long time, it is only my leg and body that are still there because my PDP party card is still with me and I have not picked an APC party card yet. But in terms of spirit, my spirit has left PDP and is now in APC.”

He also claimed that since the political crisis in the state began, he had called Governor Godwin Obaseki 111 times without any response.

“I had made up my mind not to call him again, but I always send him texts. Before now, when I started counting, I called him (Obaseki) 111 times during that crisis, but he never picked up. I sent him texts, and he never replied, but it never really mattered. The last text I sent to him was on his birthday,” Shaibu said.

Shaibu was impeached by the State House of Assembly on April 8, 2024. However, he was reinstated on Wednesday after Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Abuja High Court ruled that his impeachment was unjust.

Meanwhile, a police officer named Okon, attached to the APC candidate in the September 21 governorship election, Monday Okpebholo, was killed after mobs attacked his convoy and that of Shaibu in Benin on Thursday after they left the Benin Airport.

Shaibu and Okpebholo arrived at the Benin Airport around 2 pm to a rousing welcome from supporters.

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