Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu on Wednesday in Lagos disclosed why he wants to govern the state as from November 2024 when the new governor is expected to assume office after the conduct of the election in September.
He said he was very sure to pick the ticket of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, because of the grassroots support he enjoys across the zones in the state.
He said that as a former president of the Nigeria Students Union, NANS, ex- member of the House of Representatives and Minority Leader in the State Assembly as well as a pro- democracy activist during the military era, he was more than equipped with the requisite skills to lead and govern.
He said this during an interactive session with seniour journalists from Edo State in Lagos on Wednesday. For the deputy governor currently engaged in a face- off with Governor Godwin Obaseki over his governorship ambition, Shaibu said his past legislative and activist experiences has wizened him and enabled him to put aside their differences and focus on his ambition that is based on solving the harsh realities and indices of governance deficit in Edo State.
He said his many years of active involvement in the politics of the state and his position as deputy governor to Governor Obaseki, has opened his eyes to the relevant governance issues at stake. This, he said, puts him heads and shoulders above other aspirants.
” Governor Adams Oshiomhole fought and eliminated godfatherism in the State. I was part of that fight. I learned a lot, so no one is going to bring back godfatherism under any guise. Governor Goodwin Obaseki is an advocate of public private partnership. I have learned from that governance model, though I think government should not fund projects involving private businesses so government can have funds to build roads, houses and other such projects.”
He said PDP in the State was united and not divided and he was sure of picking the party’s governorship ticket as a grassroots politician with or without Governor Obaseki’s support.
According to him, the zonal arrangements that stakeholders often clamour for to decide which zones are favoured for the governorship ticket was not cast in stone as many parties and candidates would face the ultimate choice of producing an acceptable, competent and tested candidate to win the election.
” That is where I come in as an involved politician in the politics of the state and the direction it should go in meeting the yearnings of the people for good governance,” he said.
He said that godfatherism, zonal arrangements lacking the principle of consultation, discussion, agreements and commitment to shared ideals was often used by self- interested politicians to game the system to their advantage.
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