My rift with Obaseki reinforces constitutional roles for dep govs – Shaibu

Comrade Philip Shaibu, the Edo State deputy governor has been at loggerheads with his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki since he made known his ambition to succeed the governor. The judgement of an Abuja Federal High Court annulling his impeachment was thus a climax of the tussle between him and the governor. In this interview with […]

Comrade Philip Shaibu, the Edo State deputy governor has been at loggerheads with his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki since he made known his ambition to succeed the governor. The judgement of an Abuja Federal High Court annulling his impeachment was thus a climax of the tussle between him and the governor. In this interview with Daily Trust, Comrade Shaibu gives reasons why his case reinforces calls for the delineation of the roles of deputy governors. He also speaks on his reconciliation with his erstwhile political leader, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, among other issues.

 

The issues surrounding your position as the deputy governor of Edo State highlight the fundamental challenges in the relationship between governors and their deputies, particularly regarding constitutional roles. Do you believe these issues reinforce the need for constitutional amendments?

Absolutely. For us to strengthen democracy and ensure that institutions are respected and given the authority they deserve, we must establish laws that clearly define and assign roles to all players. Nigerian democracy is still maturing compared to Western democracies; we are in a transitional phase towards consolidating true democracy. To achieve this, we need laws that can check anti-democratic elements who pose as democrats. Unfortunately, Governor Godwin Obaseki exemplifies this negative influence on democracy, which I find deeply painful.

When we initially supported Obaseki, we believed that bringing in someone refined from the private sector would elevate Edo politics, moving it towards westernisation and civility. However, I’ve come to realize that it’s not about the sector one comes from but about the individual’s character. Obaseki’s actions have shown that personal integrity is crucial in democratic governance, and we need stringent laws to check such behaviour.

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This is why I am calling on the National Assembly to urgently amend the constitution to clearly distinguish the roles of the governor and the deputy governor. While there cannot be two governors in a state, the deputy governor’s security and responsibilities should not be under the governor’s control. The deputy governor should have institutionalised roles beyond chairing boundary committees, similar to how the vice president chairs the Economic Council at the federal level. Additionally, the deputy governor’s overheads and security votes should be independent of the governor’s control, as these are often used to render deputies redundant.

In my experience, Governor Obaseki lacks public sector management skills. He approaches governance with a private sector mentality, believing he can hire and fire at will, which is not how the public sector operates. He has dismissed workers and removed names from payrolls without due process, violating civil service rules. His disregard for the law and civil service procedures is concerning. As the Deputy Governor, I am committed to pursuing these necessary constitutional amendments to ensure better governance.

 

Given how you and Governor Obaseki started in 2016 and how the relationship was solidified in 2020, at what point did the fallout begin?

The fallout began when Governor Obaseki started treating Edo State as a private entity, almost as if it were his personal company, with him as the Chief Managing Director. He began to behave as though he alone could decide who should become the “board chairman” of Edo State, essentially acting as if he were a godfather, despite our collective fight against godfatherism.

This struggle against godfathers started with [Adams] Oshiomhole and was further consolidated by Obaseki himself in 2020 when he declared that if he ever attempted to become a godfather, he should be dealt with accordingly. Now, he cannot impose Asue Ighodalo, his business partner, as a godfather figure in Edo State. We have abolished godfatherism, and it will never take root here again.

The turning point came when I decided to contest for the office of the governor of Edo State. Obaseki informed me that he had his own plans, specifically to support Asue Ighodalo. I made it clear that Edo State is not a business entity; it’s a public office governed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where everyone has the right to contest. My insistence on running for office led to the breakdown of our relationship.

 

At the beginning, was there any gentleman’s agreement that you would succeed Governor Obaseki after his eight-year tenure?

No, we never had any discussion or agreement about succession. In Edo State, we’ve never had a formal conference or assembly where zoning or succession plans were laid out. It has always been open to everyone. It was in that spirit of openness that I decided to contest.

One of the reasons I wanted to run for governor is that I noticed significant gaps that needed to be addressed, and Obaseki was not willing to tackle them. I’m a practical, project-driven person, and I felt that we could manage the situation until his tenure ended. Once he was out, I intended to step in and fix those issues.

 

Your defection to the APC a few weeks before the election has raised eyebrows. Some say this is your attempt to remain in the limelight. What is your reason?

Limelight? I don’t understand that claim. I’ve always been in the limelight. From my secondary school days, I was the President of NANS, and even before that, from the day I entered the University of Jos, I became a class representative. Three months later, I contested to be a member of the parliament, representing Abuja Hostel, the most populous and popular hostel on campus, and I won. In my second year, I became the Welfare Secretary of the Student Union, and in my third year, I was nominated at the NANS convention in Katsina Ala, Benue State, to be the Coordinator of the ‘Abacha Must Go’ campaign in Zone C, which included all the states in the North Central and Northeast regions.

In my fourth year, I became the number one student leader in Nigeria, the president of over 40 million Nigerian students. Seven years after my university days, I contested for a seat in the House of Assembly, and I won. I served two terms as the Majority Leader of the Edo State Assembly, with 107 motions and over 90 bills to my credit—records that still stand. I later served in the House of Representatives and was drafted to become the deputy governor in 2016 to add political value to the ticket, something Obaseki lacked.

When it comes to relevance, by God’s grace, I’ve made myself available and have been fortunate to stay relevant. I’m a grassroots politician and an activist who is deeply concerned about the welfare of our people and the strength of our institutions. Strong institutions ensure that whether you are in office or retired, your welfare is secure. That’s why I’ve always advocated for strong institutions, as opposed to the short-sighted measures taken by those who only seek to amass wealth and build estates for their children. For me, this is not my calling, and I will continue to fight against anti-democratic forces that seek to undermine the will of the people. My prayer is that individuals like Obaseki never find success in Edo or Nigerian politics again, as that is the only way to strengthen our democracy.

 

Looking at how you parted ways in the build up to the 2020 governorship election and the bad blood since then, was your reconciliation with former Governor Adams Oshiomhole a marriage of convenience or a genuine reconciliation?

It was not a marriage of convenience. The move for reconciliation was supposed to happen immediately after the 2020 election. My wife insisted on it. We initiated the process, and I approached the governor, saying that “Comrade Oshiomhole was still our guy. We disagreed with him over certain issues, but now that God had given us victory, it was important to reconcile because we couldn’t simply dismiss Comrade from our political lives.” The response I got from the governor was shocking, and when my wife tried to speak with his wife, the reaction was even worse. The things she (Obaseki’s wife) said were so hurtful that I won’t disclose them publicly.

As a loyal deputy governor, I didn’t want to be seen reconciling with Comrade while my boss refused, so that slowed down the reconciliation process. However, when the opportunity eventually arose, I was excited and happy about it. I don’t know Obaseki as well as I know Comrade Oshiomhole. I have almost 45 years of relationship with him, and while we initially disagreed, I later realised that what the elder statesman saw in the situation, we couldn’t see.

So, it wasn’t a marriage of convenience; it was a genuine reconciliation. No one begged me to reconcile; I sought it out myself. When I knelt down, it was out of my own conviction that this was the right thing to do. The only person I can attribute my decision to reconcile with Comrade to is my wife—no one else.

 

With your support of the APC candidate, is this the end of the journey for you as far as governing Edo State is concerned?

The moment I became deputy governor, I placed my political ambitions in God’s hands. I’ve always sought God’s guidance in every election I’ve contested, right from my school days. Becoming deputy governor was a significant milestone for me because I realised that in the executive arm, I could impact lives and bring about change in my community more effectively than in the legislative arm. So, from 2016, I’ve entrusted my political ambitions to God and His direction.

When I decided to contest this election, I sought God’s voice, and I listened. Even when Governor Obaseki opposed my decision, I heard God’s guidance. That’s why people were surprised I didn’t switch to another party, even though I had offers from over five political parties, some even promising me a free ticket. But God’s message was clear: if I didn’t get the ticket in PDP, I was to support the APC.

I committed everything I had to this cause, including 50 vehicles, 12 trucks, and furnished offices across the 18 local governments. All of these were initially set up for my own campaign, but I gave them to support the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo. For me, this was not about personal gain but following God’s direction.

I have been with the APC since its inception—from AC to ACN to APC. My first election was under AC, then ACN, and later APC. So, returning to APC feels like coming back home. I hope, as Comrade Oshiomhole also prayed recently, that we won’t have any anti-democratic forces like Obaseki that will come between us again.

 

Some might say collapsing your campaign structure for the APC candidate may not be an altruistic gesture. What do you have to say to that?

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve left my ambitions in God’s hands. If God has destined me to achieve something today or tomorrow, no man can change that. When God’s time comes, everything falls into place seamlessly. Right now, I’m supporting Monday, and by God’s grace, he will win. What comes after that will be in God’s hands. I believe that when God is involved in a project, He instructs and guides people to follow it. I may not be rich financially, but I can accomplish things that even wealthy men cannot—this is all due to the grace of God.