Governor, Deputy on war path over Obaseki’s delay to fund campaigns
Ahead the September 19 Governorship election in Edo State deputy governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu engaged in a war of words with his boss, Godwin Obaseki at a leadership meeting Thursday following what they described as failure by the governor to release funds for the election.
Apart from the governor and his deputy who were at the meeting, others includes the secretary to the state government, Osarodion Ogie, Charles Idahosa and Domingo Obende.
It was gathered that trouble started when the governor commenced the meeting by saying all hands must be on deck for them to be able to defeat the APC.
But Shaibu raised his hands to speak, the governor later regretted why he allowed him to speak. The deputy governor was said to have told the governor that he (Obaseki) is not serious in winning the coming election.
He reminded the governor that different committees were set up in the past two weeks but the governor had refused to fund them. Lamenting that the APC has been busy in serious campaigns while nothing has happened regarding the PDP campaign.
Tension heightened when he accused the governor of luring him to fight his god father Oshiomhole and now showing no commitment or seriousness in funding the forthcoming election.
“We have been sitting here doing nothing while Oshiomhole is all over the town, we are losing members every day and all we do is setting up committees every day without funding. I will not take this nonsense and you pushed me into fighting a man that made me what I am today yet all we seeing everyday is committees with no funding.
“Mr governor I see you dont understand what this election is all about. You are not serious about it. Do you think is the little boys carrying laptops here that will do it. If you don’t want to fund the election then I have no business being here. I will back out” Shaibu declared.
Attempts by Ogie to stop Shaibu further infuriated the deputy governor who told Ogie to shut his mouth and sit down. However, Charles Idahosa stood up and backed Shaibu, expressing his fear that Oshiomhole will send all of them to jail if they lose the election.
He further urged the governor to release money for the guber campaign. Obaseki who a source said looked visibly confused at that moment, requested for the budget of each of the committees, six of them in number.
His request furthered infuriated Shaibu who thundered that he was still asking for the budget when APC had been campaigning day and night. He warned the governor that if nothing serious is happening he will walk back to his APC which he said he left in pains.
The deputy governor walked out of the meeting after describing his boss as unserious.
