The governor Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has accused his deputy, Philip Shaibu, of being so desperate that he would not mind doing anything to take over from him as governor.
According to Obaseki, his plan was to kick him out of office in order to realize his ambition.
The governor made the allegation in a video posted by Africa Independent Television, AIT, on Friday, where he addressed stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on the ongoing feud between him and Shaibu.
His words: “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.
“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 that responsibility to keep quiet and use the information properly.
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“My deputy called the leader in APC, telling that leader that during the elections on the next day, particularly Speaker of the House of Assembly, that 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?”
It would be recalled that Shaibu had sought the protection of the court against his boss, Governor Obaseki, to avoid an imminent impeachment and removal from office.
In a motion of notice brought before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and made available to the media last week Thursday, the appellant sought an order of interlocutory injunction stopping the respondents or their agents from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing or preventing the applicant 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.
The court papers listed the Inspector General of Police, State Security Service, the Governor of Edo State, Speaker Edo House of Assembly and the Chief Judge of Edo State as defendants.
In the sworn document, the deputy governor claimed that the governor had deliberately obstructed him from fulfilling his official duties as the deputy governor of Edo State, thereby impeding the smooth functioning of the state’s administration.
He further accused the governor of using security organs like the police and State Security Service to engage in a campaign of harassment, intimidation and embarrassment directed at him.
