Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu’s Reinstatement Sparks Controversy
The reinstatement of Edo State’s Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has sparked a fresh wave of controversy after the state commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, described Shaibu as an impostor.
In a statement, Musa Ebomhiana, the Chief Press Secretary to the reinstated deputy governor, condemned Nehikhare’s claim, stating that it was an affront to the judiciary and a clear violation of a valid court order delivered by Hon Justice James Omotosho of the FCT Federal High Court on July 17, 2024.
Ebomhiana faulted Nehikhare’s statement, saying it was an insult to the people of Edo State who overwhelmingly voted for the Godwin Obaseki/Philip Shaibu joint ticket in the governorship election of September 2020. According to Ebomhiana, Marvellous Omobayo, the individual whom Nehikhare claims is the deputy governor, is a political appointee of Governor Godwin Obaseki and not a person who was elected by the people of Edo State.
“Except if Nehikhare wants to be mischievous, Omobayo is the impostor who should stop parading himself as the Edo State Deputy Governor because he was never voted for,” Ebomhiana stated.
The Chief Press Secretary also condemned Governor Godwin Obaseki’s actions, saying his behavior was a display of executive lawlessness and rascality. Ebomhiana pointed out that Obaseki had boasted about his intention to retain Omobayo as his deputy governor until the end of his term as governor, showing disregard for the court’s reinstatement of Shaibu.
The reinstatement of Shaibu followed his purported impeachment by the State House of Assembly in April 2024. The court ruling had declared that the impeachment was unconstitutional and null and void.
Shaibu’s reinstatement has caused a rift within the Edo State Government, with some officials reportedly divided on the issue. The controversy is likely to continue, with the opposition parties already calling for the removal of Obaseki as governor.
For now, it appears that the issue will only be resolved through a further legal challenge or a peaceful resolution among the warring factions within the Edo State Government.
