Philip Shuaibu, who is leaving his job as Deputy Governor of Edo State, has said that he will hand over power to Monday Okpebholo, who was chosen as governor, no matter if the outgoing Governor, Godwin Obaseki, is there or not. Before this statement, there was more and more talk that Obaseki might not be at the ceremony to mark the end of the September 21, 2024, governorship election. The candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okpebholo, beat the candidate for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo. He will start his term on November 12, 2024.
In an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Shuaibu made it clear that he was ready for the transition process. He said that he would carry out the handover no matter what. He stated that when the governor isn’t around, it’s usually up to the deputy governor to hand over power to the new administration. According to Shuaibu, “Whether he (Obaseki) is there or not, I am ready to hand over,” which meant that the change would go smoothly.
In addition to the formal handover, Shuaibu also talked about the emotional and political problems that he had to deal with in his last days in office. He said that he and Governor Obaseki had grown apart in the past few months, especially since the end of their term was getting close. Shuaibu agreed that this was the first time in Edo State’s history that a governor and deputy governor were leaving without talking to each other. He said that the tense relationship between the two had made government harder because they hadn’t talked in the days before the change.
Shuaibu said he was sorry for the breakdown in communication and said that he had tried to get in touch with Obaseki but that they hadn’t talked in the last four days of their government. He said that even though he had always been loyal to Obaseki, the governor’s lack of interest had made him sad. Some people see this tension as a sign of bigger political problems in the state, where groups that used to back Obaseki are now splitting up.
During the conversation, Shuaibu also talked about how the changes in politics in Edo State have affected him personally. He said that his devotion to Obaseki had made him make important political choices in the past, such as leaving the APC to join the PDP. But because things were changing in the state, Shuaibu said he was back with the APC, the party he helped build in Edo State. He decided to join the APC again in part because his relationship with Obaseki was getting worse and in part because he wanted to make up with Adams Oshiomhole, who used to be his political guide but turned against him when he supported Obaseki.
Shuaibu’s move back to the APC is a personal and political change that brings him back to his old political home. He explained that his reunion with Oshiomhole was possible because Obaseki had given him the chance to start over with the former governor, even though they had had problems in the past. This political maneuvering shows how complicated Edo’s politics are, where party membership, loyalty, and personal ties often clash.
Even though Edo State is getting ready for the change, the political scene there is still very unstable because of the changing alliances and ongoing fights between important politicians. The things Shuaibu said show how complicated the relationship is between the old and new governments, as well as the larger fight for political power in the state. His comments also show how deeply personal Edo’s politics are. The changeover marks the end of one story and the start of a new one, which will undoubtedly be difficult and uncertain.
Shuaibu’s choice to leave the PDP and join the APC shows that there are problems within the political system and in Edo’s power structure as a whole. With Okpebholo’s inauguration coming up soon, there are still concerns about how the new government will handle these differences, especially since the state is facing many problems with its governance, such as keeping an eye on finances and boosting the economy. The next few months will likely be very important in figuring out how these political divisions will play out and how the new government will deal with Edo State’s most important problems.
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