From Moshood Karim
Reinstated Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has alleged that he has not received his salary and other entitlements for the past 15 months, despite a recent court ruling that voided his impeachment and reinstated him to office.
The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court had overturned his impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly, but Shaibu claims that the state government has refused to comply fully with the court’s orders.
Speaking on Channels Television’s “Politics Today,” Shaibu revealed that although the Inspector General of Police and the Director of the Department of State Security Service have adhered to the court’s ruling, Governor Godwin Obaseki has continued to withhold his salary and the salaries of his staff, a situation that has persisted even before his impeachment was overturned.
“I have not received any money from the government, including my staff, for the past year,” Shaibu said. “I decided not to make a noise because I didn’t want Nigerians to suggest or think that the issue of money was the problem. But the good news is that I have friends and contacts that have kept the office of the Deputy Governor running.”
The conflict between Shaibu and Obaseki appears to have escalated following Shaibu’s declaration of his intention to run for governor, which he claims triggered a campaign of “oppression and intimidation” from Obaseki. Shaibu described the governor’s attempts to prevent his gubernatorial ambition as anti-democratic and vowed to resist such efforts.
Shaibu also addressed accusations of impersonation leveled against him by the State government, which has insisted that Godwins Marvelous Omobayo remains the legitimate deputy governor. The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, described Shaibu’s actions as a “clear case of impersonation.”
However, Shaibu dismissed these allegations as “misplaced and ineffective,” arguing that the court’s judgment confirming his reinstatement stands, despite the state government’s appeal, which is scheduled for hearing on September 24, 2024.
“The accusation of impersonation by the state government exposes the governor’s gap,” Shaibu said. “If the governor understands what a court judgment is and fails to obey, it shows that he is just wicked. But I have been trying to moderate myself because of the respect I have for the office of the governor.”
Shaibu’s comments revealed the deepening rift within Edo State’s leadership, as he continues to assert his position as the legitimate deputy governor while awaiting the outcome of the legal appeal filed by Governor Obaseki and the State legislature.
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