Ahead of the September 21 2024 governorship election in Edo State, Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu dared his boss, Governor Godwin Obaseki, by declaring to run for the governorship position.
The Deputy Governor, who has been at daggers drawn with his boss, unfolded his ambition to become the next governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Explaining why he threw his hat into the ring, Philip, who was recently evicted from Deputy Governor’s Lodge, said, “Edo needs a practical leader.”
He suggested that Obaseki, who has governed the State for close to 8 years now, was an experiment governor.
Addressing reporters in Benin City, Philip said, “With the 2024 Edo governorship election fast approaching, the State can not afford to experiment again with someone who does not understand the politics of the State or the needs of the people.
“Edo people need practical governance, and you cannot experiment again with somebody who does not understand the politics of a good state and the needs of the people.
“So, everything we have to do should be assessed. You cannot know the needs of the people when you don’t live with them. So, for me, competence and experience should be the watchwords as we go into the election in 2024.
“Who is competent? Who is more experienced? Who will hit the ground running from day one?
“Are we going to experiment with a new person again? The person will spend the first four years learning on the job and another four years trying to embezzle and set up his businesses to consolidate the gains of the first term.
“Or do we need a governor that will hit the ground running from day one?”
Recall that Obaseki and Shaibu had been at loggerheads due to a leadership crisis in the State.