Edo APC defends Shaibu, slams PDP over ‘irritating’ resignation call

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has come out in strong defense of former Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, on Tuesday, dismissing the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) call for his resignation as “irritating and baseless”.

Shaibu, who was impeached in April, had publicly endorsed the APC’s candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, for the upcoming governorship election, describing him as a “homeboy” needed to govern the state.

In response, the PDP called for Shaibu’s resignation, accusing him of demarketing their candidate, Asue Ighodalo.

However, the APC has turned the tables on the PDP, saying the party should focus on its own internal crisis rather than attacking Shaibu. The APC’s Publicity Director, Orobosa Omo-Ojo, stated that the PDP was “drowning” and that Shaibu’s support for Okpebholo was a significant blow to the party.

The APC also took a swipe at outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki, accusing him of leading the PDP to “political obscurity” in the state. The party demanded that the PDP concentrate on explaining their candidate’s plans for the state rather than attacking Shaibu.

Read Also: Fubara appoints caretaker committee chairmen for Rivers LGs (See full list)

In a bold move, the APC also called for an independent panel of inquiry to investigate the leakage of examination questions in the state’s education system, which has been plagued by scandals.

Omo-Ojo said, “The All Progressives Congress wishes to call on Nigerians and Edo people in particular, to ignore the irritating and baseless call on a former deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, to resign his membership of the drowning Peoples Democratic Party, because of his open declaration of support for Senator Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the APC.

“It is obvious that PDP is yet to understand the hurricane that has happened in their party. Virtually everyone with political relevance has left and those still in the party are only lying in wait as undertakers to bury the party.

“Rather than ask Shaibu to resign, the PDP should suspend their outgoing governor, Obaseki, for leading them to political obscurity in Edo State.

“Comrade Philip Shaibu is an Iroko, a true definition of homeboy and a political giant in the state, like the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo.

“The APC wishes to give free advice to the dead PDP that it should concentrate its energy on how to tell Edo people what Asue Ighodalo and his running mate intend to bring on board after both have served the state for 28 years without any major development.

“The only sane thing left for the PDP is to join Obaseki and Ighodalo on a pleading tour of the state and beg for forgiveness, especially after last week’s confession by the state government that question papers for basic examination in the state was leaked to public schoolteachers in the state, which eventually ended up with maize sellers.

“We are by this statement demanding that Edo State Government should immediately set up an independent panel of inquiry to investigate the circumstances that led to the series of examination questions leakages that have trailed the so-called Edo Best education programme since 2020.”

The war of words between the two parties is intensifying as the governorship election approaches, with both sides trading blows and accusing each other of political desperation.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now