Reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu says the outcome of the just concluded governorship election in the state justified his claims that the incumbent Governor, Goodwin Obaseki was unpopular.
Shaibu, who spoke on Monday during a program on Arise TV, claimed that Obaseki has never won any election by himself, stressing that the governor was always helped to victory.
LEADING REPORTERS reports that the Deputy governor, who fell out with his boss following his ambition to contest for the 2024 gubernatorial election supported the candidate of the All Progressives Congress.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Sunday declared Senator Monday Okpebholo of APC winner of the Saturday election.
Okpebholo garnered 291,667 votes to defeat Obaseki’s anointed candidate, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who also got 247,274 votes.
Reacting to the election, Shaibu said he feels “vindicated”, stating that Obaseki ought to have learnt his lessons from the events.
He urged the governor to apologize to the people of the state, particularly those he kicked out of his government.
Shaibu said “I thank God for it. I am water and I don’t have an enemy. Those who unfortunately decided that I am their enemy, I have always prayed for them to live long and see how God’s miracles continue to work in my life.
“I am a team player and somebody that likes to do my work the way it is and if I make a mistake, it is a human mistake and not out of envy or wickedness.
Yesterday, I was so excited and I am happy that I’m counted among the numbers that helped the APC to regain the seat.
“I have also been able to cancel that negative impression that Shaibu does not win his ward. It is a lie because I have never lost my ward or unit. The highest votes came from my unit.
“Even the governor could not win his Local Government. I won, I won my unit, which is number one now, and I won my ward and LG which is also number one. I took first from unit to LG.
“Where are the governor’s results? He has never won, we only assist him but unfortunately, he got the power and started kicking us out.
“It is very unfortunate and I hope he learns his lessons. What is less for him now is to go back and apologize to the people of Edo State and there are a lot of them that he needs to apologize to”.