Francis Ogbuagu 
The result of the September 21 Edo State governorship election which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Senator Monday Okpebholo, as the winner, has changed the political equation in Edo State. Members of the opposition All Progressives Congress(APC) in the state have been reinvigorated by the victory, which the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and the Labour Party(LP) have vowed to contest in the Edo State 2024 Governorship Election Tribunal.
Again, the victory has raised further the conflict on who is the authentic deputy governor between the reinstated deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shiabu and Hon Godwins Omobayo. Recall that the Philip Shiabu was impeached by the Edo State House of Assembly led by Rt Hon Blessing Agbebaku, as the Speaker, on April 8, 2024, following his ambition to succeed his principal, Mr Godwin Obaseki and Godwin Omobayo announced as deputy governor by Governor Obaseki. Shaibu, who dumped the PDP for APC before the governorship election, has made several attempts to resume duty as the deputy governor of state, amid insistence by the Edo State Government that Omobayo is the authentic deputy governor. The reinstated deputy governor of Edo state had on Monday, defied statements from the state government as he inspected some on-going projects like the multi-billion naira five star Radisson Blu hotel, the ongoing Museum Of West African Arts (MOWAA), reconstruction of the Road in Okada Avenue and parts of Central Road, where he said he would continue to work in that capacity. Speaking to journalists at the MOWAA site, Shaibu said though work was 80 per cent completed, according to the contractor, he has his reservations about the siting of the project in the particular location while at Radisson, he said the scope of work was okay and that he wanted to be sure that all the major works under the outgoing government was going on fine. Also at MOWAA, Shaibu said: “Work is about 80 per cent completed. It is fine but I have my reservation. This is supposed to be a Central Hospital for the people and not to build a museum here.”
On his status as deputy governor, which the Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration was saying he was not, he said: “We should not respond to people in exile, who issues press releases because we are here. Anybody who wants to release a press release should come here and not be in exile and start releasing press statements. We should ignore them. “I have since resumed because the issue of reinstatement should be a thing of the past. “I don’t think we should be talking about it. Judgment has been made. We should move forward. The issue is if I can work with Obaseki, can he work with me? I can work with him but he cannot work with me. “The office of the Deputy Governor is not an office under Obaseki. It is an office created by the Constitution. Until you understand the difference between the office of the Governor and Office of the Deputy Governor and the Constitutionality of the office. I am deputy governor and my role is clearly defined. I will be going round in the next two weeks, starting with Edo South. After then, Central and then North to check what we have done. A new sheriff is in town and we must hand over to him. That’s where we are. I am doing my work as deputy governor of Edo State. “My own duty as deputy governor is to discharge my duties as deputy governor. I have come to inspect what is going on here at the museum. We went around and to other projects. Administratively, there are issues that have to be sorted out. There are administrative issues at Radisson Blu, which have to be sorted out. It is work and work. In the next six weeks, we have to put things in proper perspective, so that the next Sheriff in town will know where we are. I am doing my work as deputy governor. I am on ground and not in exile.” Meanwhile, a statement by the Special Adviser on Media Projects to Obaseki, Crusoe Osagie said: “Shaibu, just like any private citizen, can take a tour around the exceptional projects of Governor Godwin Obaseki. “We warn, however, that both Philip Shaibu and the security agencies should not carry out actions that violate the laws and the constitution. “Shaibu should be patient and wait for the Appeal Court to hear his matter; he needs to learn to subject himself to authority of the law.” “The government enjoined the good people of Edo State to go about their lawful businesses, rest assured that government will always ensure the protection of lives and property in line with extant laws in the State.”
