Connect with us

Headline

Thepledge Big Story: 2024: How Obaseki, Shaibu Rift Will Shape Edo Governorship Race

Published

on

By Augustine Akhilomen

The ongoing in-house crisis rocking two of the People’s Democratic Party’s leaders, Governor Godwin Obaseki and Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu in Edo State may jeopardize the party’s chances of retaining power in next year’s 2024 governorship election.

The two political actors, who have taken the fight straight to the media accusing each other of witch-hunt, have made themselves enemies after seven and half years of friendship in the corridor of power.

It will be recalled that their sojourn in power started right from the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2016 when Obaseki emerged winner of the governorship election beating PDP Candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Again, the duo were re-elected in 2020 under the umbrella of the PDP but not without strong opposition, First, they left APC after the party refused to grant them a second term ticket before facing stiff challenge from members of the PDP, who were displeased with the fact that he was given an automatic ticket.

However, with just months to the end of Obaseki’s tenure, it appears the once jolly friends are gradually becoming bitter rivals. Thepledge gathered that in the past two months, all have not been well at the Dennis Osadebey Avenue seat of power in Benin City between Obaseki and Shaibu.

Trouble started when Comrade Shaibu was seen in a viral video with Senator Adams Oshiomhole during the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly in Abuja. Sources alleged that a few days after the Abuja viral video, the governor summoned all PDP members of the State House of Assembly to his mansion, excluding his deputy, which was extremely unusual.

The deputy, who was briefed about the meeting, drove directly to the governor’s mansion but was rebuffed and stopped by the DSS personnel, who told him he was not on the list of invitees.

This, Thepledge further learnt, didn’t go down well with the Deputy Governor considering his relationship with the governor. So, out of fear of being kicked out of office, the embattled deputy governor on Thursday, August 3, obtained a restraining injunction at a Federal High Court in Abuja, for protection from being impeached.

Among reliefs he sought were interlocutory injunction stopping the respondents or their agents from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing or preventing the applicant (Shaibu) from carrying out the functions of his office as Deputy Governor of Edo State, including attending State Executive Council meetings and other functions pending the determination of the substantive suit.

However, breaking his silence on the matter, Obaseki, on Monday, said that there was no plan in place to impeach his deputy. The governor, however, noted that the move by Shaibu seeking a court order to stop his purported impeachment was preemptive ahead of his alleged plan to defect to the All Progressives Congress.

The Governor further said: “There is no timetable yet for the Edo election; it will come later in the year. So, I believe that this action by him is just a pre-emptive move to get a court order to keep his position while he now moves to the other party to get the ticket.

“And I think it’s unfair on our party, it’s unfair on the state that we don’t need this sort of crisis and two our state is not being represented well locally and internationally. I have been getting calls from all over the world.

“It is rather sad that somebody who is part of an administration would do this to the administration he has been part of just because of his own personal ambition.”

Again, Obaseki, while addressing stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on the ongoing rift between him and Shuabu, in a video posted by AIT on Friday, accused his deputy of planning to succeed him at all costs ahead of the state governorship election scheduled to hold in 2024.

“The constitution made me the governor of Edo State and it does not give room for a co-governor. My keen interest has been to unify and consolidate our party. That’s why I supervised the local government election.

“He has never come to me to talk about running. He just said he is consulting. He (Shaibu) went to Abuja and was boasting that he has connections in Abuja, that he has people in the National Assembly, that they are all with the president now, that they will take care of him.

“That if he cannot get the ticket in PDP, he knows what to do,” the governor said.

Obaseki continues: “During the nomination of the commissioners. About five of us were supposed to look at the list of nominees from the local government of the state. That morning I called him for the meeting, but he didn’t attend. That’s why Itsako does not have a commissioner. I still gave him the respect to provide his nominee when he’s ready.

Explaining further, he added, “I kept quiet and said I thought we were together. But what struck me, and I have never said this to anybody, is that after I proclaimed the House of Assembly, we were now going to elect officers.

“He was in Abuja, he came back that day. I am the chief security officer of this state. I get any information I need. But I have the responsibility to keep quiet and use the information properly.

“My deputy called the leader in APC, telling the leader that during the elections on the next day, particularly the speaker of the house of assembly, he has five members who are loyal to him and that he would like the seven members of APC to work with his five members of PDP to produce the next speaker.

“As far as I am concerned, that was not working in our common interest. Why would the deputy governor seek to have another speakership candidate outside of what the governor wants? Are we working together?

“That was when I knew we had a problem. That the deputy governor has become so desperate to take over that he would do anything, including carrying out a coup, against his governor. How can you say you are loyal and you will do such a thing?”

There is no doubt that Shaibu is hoping to succeed Obaseki as governor in 2024, considering the fact that Edo North last produced the governor when Oshiomhole ruled the state for eight years, between 2008 and 2016.

Shaibu no doubt helped his boss to fight his kinsman, Oshiomhole and so, wanted Obaseki to let him have a shot at the governorship position but his boss is for now vehemently opposed to it, given the fact that one senatorial district is still being denied the governorship seat and in the spirit of justice and fair play, they should be compensated.

It will be noted that on November 28, 2022, Shaibu stated that his politics won’t end as deputy governor. He said, “My politics will not end as deputy governor. That is not the contract I signed with God and the people, but where I am going next is in the hands of God. I don’t want to be distracted by what will happen in 2024.”

Meanwhile, Chairman of PDP in Edo, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, has disclosed that the faceoff between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, will soon be resolved. He said that the party leaders are not sleeping over the rift between Governor Obaseki and Comrade Shaibu as they are presently working round the clock to nip the crisis in the bud.

“You expect that such a rift will exist because even identical twins have different DNA. Moreso, when it comes to the political ambitions of human beings, the DNA can go haywire.

“So, as a party, we think that we will control it. We have it absolutely under our control. The rift will soon be a thing of the past.”

“The leaders of the party are not sleeping on it. We are looking at the various options.”

Also, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, stylishly delved into the matter last week when he told the Edo State Deputy Governor, Shaibu, that the APC has no Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camp to rehabilitate distressed politicians.

Oshiomhole, a former Governor of Edo State, made the assertion while commenting on the allegation made by Godwin Obaseki, the current governor, that Shaibu’s court case against him was a prelude to his defection to the APC. Oshiomhole therefore urged the deputy governor to respect and be loyal to his boss, insisting that his wish is for Edo to be governed in peace and harmony.

“But let me say this, to say that somebody wants to run for the APC, I want to say that the APC is not a rehabilitation centre. I can tell you that for free.

“We in APC are satisfied the way we are; we are happy in opposition and we are not about to receive people who are coming because they have lost out. I want to say that there is no IDP camp in APC.

“So my advice is that those who are having challenges should learn how to respect their bosses. I have always advised people that whoever you work with, be loyal,” Oshiomhole said to the delight of those at the scene.

But observers are of the view that the ongoing feud between the top leaders if not settled peacefully, may afford the APC and particularly Labour Party, who is being rumoured to give former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Olumide Akpata the governorship ticket of the party, to make inroads and possibly dislodge the ruling the PDP from Government House.

Going by LP performance in the last Presidential election, where the party defeated APC, PDP and all comers to win the state for Peter Obi, then there is an outside chance for the party to create another upset if Obaseki and Shaibu fail to put their house in order.

LP is still a force to reckon with and could change the dynamic of the politics in Edo State if they present a candidate that can appeal to the mindset of voters in the state. All eyes are on the PDP and its leaders on how they go about resolving the current crisis. If the party goes ahead to zone the governorship ticket to Edo Central, they would have to convince the South and North on the viability of such a decision to be able to win the general election.

As it is however, the fall guy might well be the deputy governor who will eventually be in the cold given the indisposition of Oshiomhole, who is the APC leader and most influential member of the party in the state to his governorship ambition. But there is no doubt that how the current crisis plays out would shape the race to Osadebey House next year.

Loading

Headline

Big Lie, We Never Said JSS, SSS Education System Will Be Scrapped -FG Clarifies

Published

on

By Augustine Akhilomen

The Ministry of Education has distanced itself from reports circulating in the media that the ministry is aiming at scrapping the Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS). educational structure in the country.

Recall that on Thursday several media outlets had suggested that a new policy aimed at scrapping the Junior and Senior Secondary School system was already in effect, with the introduction of a 12-year basic education system.

However, the ministry in a statement issued by the Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo on Friday, stated that reports of an immediate policy change on the matter were untrue.

“The attention of the Federal Ministry of Education has been drawn to misleading reports suggesting that the Federal Government has scrapped Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) and replaced them with a new 12-year uninterrupted basic education model. We wish to categorically state that this is not true,” the statement issued on Friday read.

“The proposal seeks to migrate to 12 years of compulsory education while retaining the current 6-3-3 structure,” the ministry said.

The ministry said there will be deliberations with stakeholders before a final decision on the proposal is made.

It said, “The final decision on whether to adopt this reform will be made at the October 2025 National Council on Education Meeting.

“The Ministry urges the public to disregard the false claim that JSS and SSS have been scrapped. The Federal Government remains committed to policies that enhance access to quality education while aligning with global best practices,” the ministry’s statement read.

Loading

Continue Reading

Headline

Peter Obi Urges Transparency After Rise In 2025 Budget

Published

on

The presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 polls, Peter Obi, on Friday called for greater transparency and accountability as a result of the recent increase in the Budget of Restoration to ₦54 trillion due to reported revenue growth.

Obi made the call in a statement on X, noting that while the sources of revenue were detailed, there was no corresponding breakdown of expenditures to justify the budget increase.

The LP chieftain stressed the need for Nigerians to be informed on how public funds are allocated and spent.

“For transparency and accountability sake, Nigerians need to know how the resources generated from them are being allocated to ensure that they are judiciously spent on the country’s development and the well-being of the people,” Obi said.

According to the former Anambra governor, budgetary expenditures should be directed toward critical areas of development, including education, healthcare, security, and poverty alleviation, to ensure meaningful impact on citizens’ lives.


Yesterday, I read about the increase in the Budget of Restoration to ₦54 trillion due to increased revenue.

While the sources of this revenue were detailed, there is no corresponding breakdown of expenditures to justify the increase. For transparency and accountability sake…

— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) February 7, 2025

He said Nigerians are still waiting for a detailed account of the execution and expenditures of the Renewed Hope budget, which was passed in December 2023.

While urging the government to provide clarity on how the funds from that budget have been utilized, he wants the “National Assembly to seize this opportunity to obtain and make public the full details of the 2024 budget of Renewed Hope budget.”

He also called on lawmakers and government officials to prioritise openness and accountability to safeguard public trust as preparations begin for the 2025 Budget of Restoration,

“Transparency in this regard is crucial for ensuring accountability, learning from past budgets, and making informed decisions for the nation’s progress.

“As we work towards passing the Budget of Restoration for 2025, let us uphold openness, accountability, and the welfare of the Nigerian people. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and the future of our great nation,” he stated.

Obi’s demand comes two days after President Bola Tinubu hiked the proposed 2025 budget from ₦49.7 trillion to ₦54.2 trillion, citing additional revenues generated by key government agencies.

Tinubu conveyed the budget adjustment in separate letters sent to both the Senate and the House of Representatives, which were read during Wednesday’s plenary by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

The President disclosed that the increase was driven by ₦1.4 trillion in additional revenue from the Federal Inland Revenue Service, ₦1.2 trillion from the Nigeria Customs Service, and ₦1.8 trillion generated by other government-owned agencies.

Loading

Continue Reading

Headline

TUC Threatens To ‘Down Tools’ Over Telecom Tariff Increase

Published

on

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has threatened to go on strike if the Federal Government does not rescind its recent approval for the 50 per cent increase in telecommunications tariff.

The President of the TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo, made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

Following its National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting earlier in the day, the TUC condemned the proposed tariff hike, saying that it is not only ill-timed but also a deliberate act of economic oppression against Nigerians.

Asked if the union will down tools and enter the streets if the FG doesn’t act on their demand for the reversal of the decision, Osifo replied, “Yes! Correct!”

On the date the action will begin, Osifo said, “What we had today is the NAC meeting to bring about the sensitization. After that, we will have the CWC meeting and the NEC meeting. So, it is the responsibility of NEC of TUC to give a date and define the next line of action.”

The TUC president advised the Federal Government to tackle the root cause of the problem which he said is forex management rather than the symptoms.

“If you know what the root cause of the problem is, why would you start looking at the symptoms? So, all the increment that we are seeing today is the symptoms of the FX mismanagement.

“So, all we are asking is that let us sit down, let us look at how we can go back to that root cause because we strongly believe that if that root cause is addressed, there is no need for these symptoms to prop up,” Osifo said.

He acknowledged that the telecommunications companies are facing high costs of operations, but said that it would be better for them for the government to provide economic stability that will reduce the cost of operation instead of always looking to increase tariffs.

The proposed telecom tariff increase has raised dust among labour unions and civil society organisations. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had fixed a protest on Tuesday but suspended the action following a talk with representatives of the Federal Government.

After extensive deliberation, both the NLC and the FG agreed to set up a 10-man committee comprising five members from both parties to review and submit its report within two weeks.

Loading

Continue Reading

Recent Posts




JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

Trending