By Abu-Uwesu Yakubu
It is saying the obvious that ripples created by the impeachment and removal of Edo State former deputy governor, Philip Shaibu resonates in various degrees among the three leading political parties in the state, albeit negatively.
For his state ruling People’s Democratic Party PDP, it causes further fragmentation as the pro Dan Orbih’s Legacy and Governor Godwin Obaseki’s groups may now contend with pro Philip Shaibu group, no matter how tiny it’s followership may be. Moreso, the salt got robbed into the already ulcerative sore of the PDP Legacy group when the governor went outside its rank, and indeed, outside the state PDP to pick Philip Shaibu’s replacement which has further deepened the intra party crises. The result is the current gale of decamping from PDP with the state opposition party, All Progressive Congress APC being the singular harvester of the decampees thus far.
The Labour Party has also been inflicted with fresh problems since the appointment of the new state deputy governor in the person of Engr. Omobayo Godwin from its rank. This move by Governor Obaseki has turned out to be a miscalculation because instead of endearing LP chieftains including the labour Party flag bearer, Mr Olu Akpata towards him and his interests, it has further widened the hiatus which is why Olu Akpata pointed accusing fingers to those in Benin Osadebe Avenue house as responsible for organising the thugs attack on him within the University of Benin Ugbowo campus recently. The LP fold feels, and rightly too, that Governor Obaseki has poached a dependable ally from Akoko Edo in the Edo North political zone and as such short changed their political reach in the coming election. Just for the mentioning, this has also added to the LP worsening crises for which her no nonsense teeming youth supporters in the state have abandoned the party in protest alleging that the process that produced Mr Olu Akpata as governorship candidate in the primary was not transparent. Add these to the Abure and Papa factions’ imbroglio at the party centre to imagine how intractable the party crises is. There is also rumours that the party uniting factor and beautiful presidential bride, Peter Obi is strategizing new alliances with former Kaduna State Governor El Rufai to compete the 2027 presidential elections under a new and different party.
From the look of things, the APC that also emerged in one peace from a repeated and rancorous primary election might be most hit in this post Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu’s impeachment melee.
To start with, the major actors in the group within APC that had the upper hand and produced Senator Monday Okpebholo as it’s flag bearer for the coming September polls
are fingered to be stoking readmission of Philip Shaibu into APC, a move that has irked most party faithfuls especially in Edo North, home to the acting State Chairman of the party, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe.
Shaibu’s ward and unit members recount bitter stories including sending armed thugs after them during the last elections. These tugs on discovering that these APC supporters have fled, are alleged to have pumped bullets into big water tanks and drums in their various homes rendering the stored up clean water, a scarce item in this area, to spill.
Hardly anyone in Auchi Sacred Kingdom which has the largest voting population in Edo North talks good of Philip Shaibu. The harrowing stories include deposition of Auchi born Etsako West Local Government duly elected and already sworn in Chairman for refusing to abide by Shaibu’s directives to issue the kingdom’s traditional ruler, the Otaru of Auchi, His Royal Highness H. A. Momoh, Ikelebe the second with a query after he Shaibu had threatened to depose His Highness
What about the blockage of route to the quarry site where Auchi natives access sand for building homes; the transformer step down affair; the alleged many attempts to ignite disputes between Auchi community and her erstwhile peaceful neighbours; and many others such allegations too numerous for mentioning here.
There is however some tiny voice alleging that the resistance against Shaibu’s readmission to APC is engineered by Senator Adams Oshiomole because he Oshiomole perceive the old foes that fought and successfully removed him as the party’s National Working Committee NWC chairman regrouping to forestall his return to Senate in 2027.
Yet another infinitesimally small group within Auchi say they support these perceived Comrade Oshiomole’s foes arguing that as far as he remains the senator representing the zone, no Auchi son can aspire to elective position at the Federal Level. They add that the people’s leader has also deliberately undermined Auchi each time he gets opportunity to recommend for Federal appointments especially ministerial, because an Auchi man so propped up and also backed with the kingdom’s large voting population would pose political threat to the senator. The community political leaders, united in support of Comrade Oshiomole, argue otherwise drawing attention to Barr. Shaibu Elemah and Mr Oseni Ahmed, who by the appointment given them, were allegedly elevated both in status and stature by the people’s comrade when he was the state governor. Chief Busari Yesufu aka Experience and Late Hassan Kadiri who was at a time Etsako West LG chairman were executive directors during Oshiomole’s tenure while some others were awarded contracts to execute.
Having said all these, tension has simmered as Shaibu was not among politicians readmitted into APC fold on Saturday April 13, an event presided over by State APC leader Oshiomole with state party chairman, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe hosting.
Political observers feel that for now, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu should not be in a hurry to jump the PDP ship so shortly after his forceful removal from office. He should wait in the party fold to fight out his instituted case against his impeachment. At best, he should just wait by the sideline to observe politics playing out untill after the September election. It is said that when an old man trips in a race for life, he sits back for a while to study the path behind and ahead before getting up, otherwise he trips again should he continue on the race immediately. This is the precedence Comrade Oshiomole set earlier by remaining put in APC even when pulled down from the Olympian height of the party chairmanship and rubbished in his home Edo State. Today, he is back on his feet galloping in the nation’s political space
At the appropriate time, no one would stop Shaibu from joining any political party of his choice because he has the constitutional right to freedom of association as a bona fide Nigerian citizen. If the party of his choice at that time is APC, resistance or not, he has two avenues open for him to join the party.
ARTICLE 9.1ii of APC constitution states inter alia: “
“Application for membership shall be to and cleared by the Ward Executive Committee of the party in the ward of the Local Government Area where the person was born, resides, works or originates…”
It went further to add that;
” …Online registration shall also be acceptable provided that it is approved by the National Working Committee of the party”.
In conclusion, whatever the Edo State nay Nigeria’s political space hold for Philip Shaibu lie in the womb of time. Ours is to wait and observe.
