Governor Godwin Obaseki has said that the recent personal attacks by the Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Nyesom Wike, against the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu is most unfortunate and totally uncalled for, IgbereTV reports
The Edo State Governor expressed his displeasure at the development in a statement on Monday.
Obaseki said if Wike was one who won’t show respect and courtesy to his colleague-governors, he would have ordinarily reached out to him to express his concerns about the views made by Comrade Shaibu, rather than embark on an unwarranted public onslaught.
The rift between Governor Wike and the Edo State deputy governor stemmed from a comment made by the latter suggesting that many supporters of Obaseki who defected with the governor from APC to the PDP are not happy and do not feel accepted into the new party.
Shaibu asked the national leadership of the PDP to “integrate” his supporters and those of his principal into the party, threatening that there are possibilities of an exodus.
In reaction to these comments, Wike tongue-lashed Shaibu, calling him an ingrate.
The Rivers State Governor asked the national chairman of the PDP to constitute a disciplinary committee against the deputy governor of Edo State, stressing that if this is not done, he (Wike) will invoke the sanctions of the party and will make sure they must discipline Shaibu.
Defending his deputy governor, Obaseki in his lengthy statement said Shaibu “was a former National President of the National Association of Nigerian Student (NANS) and his comment is representative of the essence of the nation’s youth population, who are inclined to openly speak up and question the status quo.
Obaseki was of the opinion that if Governor Wike cannot understand and adequately respond to the style and character of the Nigerian youth, how can he aspire to lead them?
“His Excellency, Governor Wike should have taken a cue from the manner in which the National Chairman of our party, Sen. Dr Iyorchia Ayu, responded to my deputy’s remarks, as a conscientious leader who is able to show empathy and consideration,” the Edo Governor stated.
According to him, the concerns expressed by his deputy governor bordered on pertinent issues affecting the PDP in Edo State which since the September 19th 2020 elections, has been able to register over 500,000 members; and to date, these new members have not been properly integrated into our party after two years.
He added also that the leaders, executives and members who came with him into the PDP have still not been accepted, integrated or harmonized into the party.
More worrisome for the governor is the fact that old members of Edo PDP, who are open to inclusion and supportive of building a large party are being vilified and ostracized “by a cabal purportedly led by Chief Dan Orbih, who is your perpetual guest in Port Harcourt and is remotely used to orchestrate the destabilization of the party in Edo State,” governor Obaseki said.
“It is necessary to recall at this point that a political solution gave rise to the emergence of Chief Dan Orbih first as Acting and then as Substantive National Vice Chairman, South-South, of our party, when Chief Emma Odidi resigned that position to allow Chief Orbih to ascend.
