- Opens Campaign Office In Benin City
Following months of controversy and heightened tension, Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, took a major move on Monday by officially announcing his candidature for the state’s 2024 gubernatorial election.
Shaibu, the state’s deputy governor since 2016, revealed his intention to run for governor on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform in a pre-recorded speech broadcast today.
Shaibu opened his campaign office in Benin City, the state capital, following the formal declaration.
The 53-year-old lawmaker emphasised his dedication to the development and prosperity of the state, as well as his resolve to restore greatness to the South-South region.
Despite facing political discord with his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, regarding his political aspirations, Shaibu asserted that, though persecuted, he remains unbroken.
Hailing from the Edo North Senatorial District, the same district as former governor Adams Oshiomhole, Shaibu’s political journey has been intertwined with Obaseki’s. Both were erstwhile allies of Oshiomhole, but their association crumbled in the lead-up to the 2020 governorship election. The ex-labor leader faced accusations of ‘godfatherism,’ which he vehemently denied.
Obaseki and Shaibu successfully navigated their re-election, triumphing over Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was supported by Oshiomhole and other influential APC figures.