Obaseki Vs. Shaibu: Crisis Worsens As APC Chieftain Backs Edo Governor

The crisis between the Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, has worsened with the interference of the Edo South Senatorial Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Valentine Asuen.

Asuen has accused Shaibu of being the cause of the rift between Obaseki and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole.

According to the APC chieftain, the Edo deputy governor is not a friend of the Benin people, unlike, Obaseki, who would never trespass.

Asuen took to social media to accuse Shaibu of using his position to bully and monopolize the petrol business in the state.

While recalling past encounters, Asuen, popularly known as DVD, narrated how Shaibu had mistreated him in time past.

He said in 2022, at the peak of his senatorial election campaign, Shaibu impounded two of his Empty Trucks parked by his Petrol Station at Murtala Mohammed Way in Benin City and he was made to pay six million naira before the trucks were released.

He noted that “MM Way is a federal road, and at the same time, my trucks were not parked on the right of way, but Philip, trying to witch hunt me, went to seize the trucks on a Sunday morning.

“We rushed from church to Shaibu’s residence, we saw him, I tried to reach his wife, but she avoided us; hence my wife followed me to Shaibu’s house, appealed to him, and he assured me that the trucks will be released the following day and he said he will do it because of my wife and little child that went with us, at that moment I saw him as a man of conscience, and I believed him, the following day I called him when I learnt that my trucks had not been released, he did not pick my calls and for two weeks my trucks were seized, I sent people to appeal, but he insisted that I must pay N6 million naira, even in Lagos state that has very organized LASTMA will not collect N6m for a truck that is causing obstruction.

 “I have come to tell Edo people and particularly Benin that Philip is not a friend to the Benin, Obaseki that I know will not go to Auchi, will not go to Edo North to crumble or to interrupt an Etsako man’s business, but he came to Benin to interrupt my business.

“He took my simplicity, my innocence; he took my peaceful attributes for weakness, but I want him to know that I am a true son of Edo

“We brought him into the oil and gas industry when he was already deputy governor, and he was now using government to oppress us. He was now using government to truncate our businesses; Obaseki is not aware of this treacherous act that you displayed, Obasei created an enabling environment for oil and gas marketers in Edo because he believes that he must work with the private sector to create jobs and that is where DVD comes in which is to create jobs and put food on the tables of families in Benin. Still, Philip tried to oppress us because he sees as some of his competitors in the industry.

“Our interest is a better Edo, APC then AC as at 2007 has a 30 years development plan for Edo which will bring dividends to the people of Edo state.”

In a swift reaction, Shaibu, through his Chief Press Secretary, Musa Ebomhiana, described Asuen as a frustrated politician who is childish and playing up the ethnic card in the state.

The Edo deputy governor submitted that “It’s very interesting and laughable that Valentine Asuen, a self-acclaimed oil magnate, has decided to pour his venom on an innocent man, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu, at this time.

“He claimed that the Deputy Governor seized two of his trucks and made to cough out 6 million naira for violating traffic rules in the state. But why has Valentine chosen to cry out at this time? Was the money paid into the personal account of Shaibu or into the state’s coffers?

“Did Shaibu perform those functions in his private or in his official capacity as Edo State Deputy Governor?

“Did the truck violate the Edo State traffic rules and regulations or not? Was it only DVD’s trucks that were impounded in the course of that joint operation carried out by EDSTMA, PUWOV, EDO STATE SECURITY NETWORK, AND THE POLICE? These are some of the salient questions Valentine Asuen should provide answers to.

“For the record, a committee was set up by the state government to decongest traffic build-up mainly caused by trucks parked indiscriminately by the roadside on MM Way, Oluku by Seven Up, Agbor Road by Guinness, and of course on Sapele Road by Obe. The then Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, was chairman of that Committee with heads of aforementioned security agencies in the state as members. The committee carried out its assignment on behalf of the state without prejudice to anybody or group of persons.

“Again, Asuen in his ranting, tried to play the ethnic card, cataloguing his family background, instead of addressing the real issue. This is rather childish. He is nothing but an ethnic bigot, a failed politician, and an opportunist.”