“What to do?”: Philip Shaibu’s Impending Move To SDP Exposed As Obaseki Consolidates With Asue Ighodalo

“What to do?”: Philip Shaibu’s Impending Move To SDP Exposed As Obaseki Consolidates With Asue Ighodalo

By Osigwe Omo-Ikirodah

In the vibrant slang of the Nigerian streets, “What to do?” echoes the inquiry about one’s well-being or curiosity about current happenings. It’s the casual way of checking in, finding out if everything is alright, or if there’s anything interesting going on. It’s laid-back, informal, and it’s in the air.

Now, this phrase resonates with the current situation surrounding Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, as he gears up to make a strategic move to the SDP, chasing after his long-time aspiration of succeeding his current boss, Godwin Obaseki. Shaibu’s journey toward the governorship has been filled with twists and turns.

Having strained relations with both Obaseki and former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Shaibu found himself on the fringes of the PDP and abandoned by the APC. Today, the deputy governor graces the front pages, lamenting how Obaseki has not only excluded him from the inner circle but is actively working against him. Philip finds himself in the predicament of “When the loyal dog turns fox, the forest offers no refuge, and the pack disowns its own.”

Shaibu might have shot himself in the foot when he decided to play clever. Rumors suggest that in pursuit of his ambition, Shaibu betrayed his benefactor, Adams Oshiomhole, to Godwin Obaseki, sparking the political rivalry between Oshiomhole and Obaseki.

“When you deceive your own, you breed mistrust in the hearts of others,” goes an African proverb, aptly describing the current scenario. Philip, once meant to be Oshiomhole’s right-hand man in Obaseki’s administration, sold out his mentor for reasons known only to him. In doing so, he sowed seeds of suspicion, reminiscent of a son selling his father.

Asue Ighodalo has officially declared his intention to run, further diminishing Shaibu’s chances of Obaseki’s support. Faced with this, Shaibu is contemplating a move to the SDP to challenge Obaseki and his anointed candidate in the upcoming September gubernatorial election.

In Edo’s political battlefield, there is no retreat and no surrender. The SDP, with Shaibu, and the PDP, with Ighodalo, will go off against the APC, led by Oshiomhole and backed by political heavyweight President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The political struggle for the “Heartbeat of the Nation” is about to begin, promising a clash of titans.

Stay tuned as we navigate this intriguing political battleground, witnessing the sparks fly in the Edo Gubernatorial war.

My name remains Osigwe Omo-Ikirodah of the Bush Radio Academy, and it is my responsibility to keep you all informed as the Edo Election approach its critical stages.

Source iReporteronline.