After months of speculations and suspicion, the embattled deputy governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu, on Saturday formally joined the All Progressives Congress.
Shaibu, who has been having political battles with his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, leading to his impeachment by the state House of Assembly on April 8, 2024, had in April this year donated his campaign office for the governorship ticket of his erstwhile party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and his vehicles to the APC governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
Reinstated by an Abuja Federal High Court on Wednesday, Shaibu had flown in to Benin City in a chattered aircraft in company of Okpebholo to the waiting hands of hail of bullets as the duo’s convoy drove out of the Benin Airport.
The shooting led to the death of Inspector Anuh Ako, a police officer attached to the security details of the APC candidate.
At the inauguration of APC Governorship Campaign Council in Benin City on Saturday, Shaibu and some other prominent members of the Legacy Group, the PDP dissident group led by the now suspended National Vice Chairman, South-South, PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, joined the APC with a promise to add value to the party.
It would also be recalled that Shaibu and Governor Obaseki both left the APC in 2020, when the then Adams Oshimhole-led National Working Committee of the party disqualified th.from seeking their second term in office under the banner of the party.
Speaking as rejoined the APC, Shaibu said: “On behalf of the Legacy Group, I announce our movement to the APC. We have come to add value to the party.
“It is time to take back our state. We will not talk too much because action will speak for us. We are not afraid, we are ready to move forward.
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“We the homebody are ready to take our state back through the APC governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa.
“We are not trouble makers but if it comes, we will use it to rub our body and we move on
Shaibu, who the venue of the APC event at about 2.08, walked straight to where his estranged godfather Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, was seated and knelt before him, to the applaus party supporters present.
Shaibu was the arrowhead of the vilification and harassment of Oshimhole during the 2020 political debacle, as he spared no efforts at throwing jabs at the former labour leader, and immediate past governor of the state, who was instrumental to Shaibu coming into politics in the first instance.
The Saturday’s dramatic open obeisance to Oshimhole by Shaibu, many believed signalled the end of political hostilities between the political godfather, Oshimhole, and his prodigal political son, Shaibu
