BENIN CITY – DESPITE the recent altercation with his boss over his ambition, it has been authoritatively gathered that the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon Philip Shaibu would soon declare his intention to contest for the 2024 governorship election.
A close source to Shaibu said the ambition of the deputy governor is now like a movement beyond his control as his followings cut across different political parties in the state.According to him, “Even if Comrade Shaibu wanted to bury his ambition based on his boss’ position, it was too late because so many people and groups across the country and outside the country have keyed into it.
“There are groups and individuals who have been consulting and mobilizing on their own for him even before his altercation with his boss that even if he had the intention of dropping his ambition to resolve the issues, we would not have agreed to that” a member of one of the groups mobilizing for Shaibu told Vanguard on Thursday.
He said “We believe that Shaibu is the most experienced among those who are angling to take over from Obaseki, he has the street credibility, he is like a bridge between the old and the young, he has been part of Obaseki’s reforms as an insider so he is the best out of those we have seen so far” He said there are supporters of the deputy governor who are prominent members in both factions of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state and the opposition All Progressives Congress and the Labour Party .